C'est La Vie
by Hikaru Rouge
Summary: Sequel to Finding Love. Sayuri and Sesshomaru are expecting a little one soon. But then their growing careers start to make things difficult for them. Will they have that happy family life or will it be taken by work?
1. Day to Day living

_Hikaru- San: To all the newcomers, please turn around and read _Finding Love _first._ _This story won't make so much sense if you don't read that story first, as I tend to refer back to various chapters of that story. As to all of you who read FL before this one, this one bows to you for making a good choice. So yay! Finally found time to write the sequel! I really hate writing the first chapter of any story. It takes too long to figure out how to get things started… anyway. This is the best I could do so enjoy and please R&R! _

* * *

A little girl in the third grade was waiting along the sidewalk for her ride home. She fumbled with her school bag and key chains. Then a dark blue BMW pulled up. A young woman around 24 years old, with lon black hair currently tied back into a messy bun, in a pink flowing shirt, and jeans suited for a pregnant woman, was sitting in the driver's seat.

"I was starting to get worried." The girl said, as she got in.

"Aw. Rin- Chan. I can't believe you were starting to lose faith in me." The woman said.

"Very funny mom." Rin said. The woman smirked.

"So, what's new in school kid?"

"Nothing much. I had final play rehearsals today."

"When's the play again?"

"Two days."

"I have to make sure your father makes room in his schedule to come see it."

"But, Sae! You know how busy dad get's at this time of year!" Rin said.

"Well, I'm getting close to being due so he'll be home more often." Sayuri said.

She was now nearing her due date. The baby so far was healthy, according to her brother- in- law, Inuyasha Tashio. Sayuri was adjusting just fine with married life. Since now Sesshomaru, the owner and CEO of one of Japan's best computer companies, had a mate to help out with managing family life, was having an easier time trying to manage a company, while having time to spend with his family.

"That would be nice." Rim said looking out the window.

"Oh, come on Rin. Cheer up. You know, he's pretty close to having an early retirement. Jaken pretty much handles the minor things. Today, he has a big meeting with Bill Gates."

"Will he be home for dinner tonight?"

"If he's not, then he has to deal with me." Sayuri said deadly, making Rin laugh. Sayuri was famous for having a temper like a fire demon.

* * *

Sayuri parked the car into the garage.

"Oh crap!"

"What mom?"

"I can't get out…" Sayuri said embarrassedly. Now that she was almost seven months pregnant, she was huge. Therefore, making it hard for her to get up. With the long flowing shirts she was always wearing nowadays, you wouldn't of guess that she was pregnant from a distance.

"A little help?" Sayuri said.

"Oh no. Not again…" a masculine voice said. He gently got Sayuri out of the driver's side and carried her into the house bridal style.

"Oh. You're home early." Sayuri said, staring into the golden eyes that belonged to Sesshomaru.

"I just went through the meeting as fast as I could." Sesshomaru said, as he placed Sayuri down gently in the sofa.

"Aw…."

"You guys. Could you at least wait until I'm out of the room?" Rin said, as she walked behind the couch and up the stairs to her bedroom.

"No." they replied.

Sayuri slowly got up.

"Well, I got to make dinner."

"What about the designs for the Hiltons?"

"I finished that this afternoon. Paris doesn't seem to care how much things are. Let's just say I'm getting a really big Paycheck this month." Sayuri said, as she waddled to the kitchen.

"And what are you going to do with all your spoils?"

"Diapers…"

Then a crash was heard. Sesshomaru jumped from his seat and rushed into the kitchen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Sesshomaru shouted, worry being obvious in his voice. Sayuri stood on the stool wide eyed, her right arm reaching up towards the upper cupboard.

"Trying to get a bowl?" Sayuri said.

"You're not a size 7 now…" Sesshomaru said, picking Sayuri up from the stool, placing her on the floor, and getting the bowl himself.

"WAH! NOW HE'S CALLING ME FAT!" Sayuri cried.

Sesshomaru sighed. Thank Kami the due date's close. The morning sickness he can handle. But, he couldn't take the mood swings anymore. When Kagome was pregnant with Akane, he had the freedom to leave whenever. But not Sayuri. But he loved every minute with the mother of his child.

"I didn't say you were fat…"

"Then why did you put it like that!?"

"What I meant to say was I didn't want you or our child to fall and get hurt."

Sayuri brightened up just as quickly as she was in a bad mood.

"Aw. You do care. I bet you care about me enough to cook tonight!" Sayuri said, tossing the rag to him and walked to the living room as fast as she could.

"You know I can't cook." Sesshomaru said defeated.

"Breakfast sounds good to me!" Sayuri called out.

* * *

(Later)

"Yummy!" Sayuri said cheerfully as she cleared her plate

Rin and Sesshomaru exchanged looks, while playing with their food. They were still trying to figure out how to sneak the take out Chinese food into the house and into Rin's room without Sayuri noticing. She was now the living garbage disposal…

Sayuri took her plate to the sink, took care of her dishes, and went into the living room, sketch book in hand.

"I'll do dishes dad." Rin said, taking her and Sesshomaru's plates and went into the kitchen.

Sesshomaru walked into the living room. Sayuri had all her attention on her sketch book.

_She looks so beautiful when she's working…_ Sesshomaru thought to himself. When he was lucky enough to meet someone like Sayuri, he'll never find out. He snuck up behind her, placed his head on her chest, and his hand on her stomach.

"Oh! Hi…" Sayuri said surprised.

"Hi…"

He felt a kick…

"You felt that did you…" Sayuri said gently.

"Just a few more weeks…" Sesshomaru said, looking up at his mate.

"We still have to come up with a name…" Sayuri said.

"We already decided on Makoto if it's a boy…"

"And I still say Reiko if it's a girl."

"Sessh… I don't think Reiko's going to cut it if it's a girl…" Sayuri said in a knowing way. Sesshomaru always hated it when she got that look in her eye. It always means that she was going to win the argument.

"What makes you so sure it's a girl?" he asked, changing to subject.

"Mother's intuition."

"That's what Izayoi said when she was pregnant. Then she wound up with Inuyasha…"

"But I know the baby's going to be a girl. Even if it's not the case, I wouldn't care. We're still going to be parents!" Sayuri said, as she climbed into Sesshomaru's lap.

He pulled her in for a kiss.

Rin was carrying a few bags upstairs, being careful as to not cause any attention. Sesshomaru pulled away from Sayuri.

"So, what do you want to name our daughter?" Sesshomaru asked, looking deep into her brown eyes.

Sayuri sighed. Then she perked her head up

"Do I smell chicken Chow Mien?"

_

* * *

Hikaru- San: Ok…I know… really short chapter. But a story has to start somewhere. Lol Sesshy is having a rather difficult time with a pregnant woman around. Don't worry, we'll see chibi- chan pretty soon! Still open for name requests! Name will be finalized by chapter… I think three… yeah… so get your request in ASAP! Please R&R!!!!!!!!_


	2. Uh oh

"IZAYOI!?" Sayuri called out into the giant house where her in- laws lived. It was 11:00 in the middle of the day, and Sayuri, finishing all her designs early that morning, was bored out of her mind. Plus, she needed to talk to Izayoi about the pregnancy.

"I'm out in the garden." A soft voice called out.

Sayuri took off her shoes and walked through the hallway and into the backyard.

"Ah! Sayuri- Chan! I was wondering when you were going to pay me another visit!" Izayoi said, getting up from her rose garden. Inutashio, who was sitting by the patio table, reading the paper, looked up.

"Oh, hi Sayuri." He said.

"Hi, Inu- Papa." Sayuri said.

"Oh my. You're bigger than the last time I saw you." Izayoi said, giving Sayuri a hug.

"Actually, that's why I'm here."

"I'll leave you ladies alone." Inutashio said, getting up, gathering his reading material, and went into the house.

"So… what do you want to know this time?" Izayoi asked kindly, as she poured herself and Sayuri a cup of tea.

"What am I suppose to be looking out for for the final weeks?"

Izayoi thought for a moment.

"Hm… it's been a while…" Izayoi said to herself. She thought back to the time she was pregnant with Inuyasha.

"Has your appetite grown at an unusual rate?"

"Actually, yeah."

"Well, that's a human thing… and… your mood swings."

"Oh… um… I kind of broke the kitchen window this morning… when I was complaining about how bored I get during the day."

"Ok… now that's a demonic trait. If you're having uncontrollable fits of rage, then the baby's really close to coming out. Kagome's was different. She just had normal human symptoms during pregnancy, as Akane is only a third demon."

"How long is a demon pregnancy for again?"

"Seven months. And it's June in a few days."

"Ugh… I want to see my feet again…" Sayuri whined, while taking a long sip of her tea. Izayoi laughed.

"Um… Sae…" Inutashio said, poking his head out the back door. "In case you were wondering, your shoes weren't matching today…"

"Damnit!" Sayuri said.

Izayoi smiled.

"Don't worry. It'll be just a few more weeks."

* * *

"Mr. Tashio, your brother's on the line." Kagura, Sesshomaru's secretary said.

Sesshomaru dismissed her, and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Sesshomaru! What are you and Sayuri doing this weekend?" Inuyasha asked.

"Rin has a play on Saturday. Can't miss it."

"How about coming over to the house on Sunday? It's just Rin's cultural festival this Saturday right?"

"Reenactment of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter."

"At least it's not the Pillow Book…"

"IT'S A THIRD GRADE PRDUCTION!!!!!"

"Dada! I wanna talk to Uncle!" a small voice said.

"Akane! Heel!"

"Didn't Kagome say to treat her like a human and not a dog?"

"You know as well as I do that mom did that to us."

"Whatever you say. We'll be by the house at three on Sunday."

"Great. Now I can cross that off of Kagome's list. We'll see you on Saturday for Rin's play."

"Bye..."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes after he hung up.

* * *

(Saturday…about five days later)

"Kaguya- Hime… why are you crying?"

Rin stood proudly, but not destroying the sad atmosphere.

"I have to go back to the Tsuki no Miyako one night of the full moon…" Kaguya (AKA Rin) said sadly. She walked across the stage in the heavy layered kimono. It took Sayuri a full three hours to teach her to move in it without tearing it.

"She makes me want to cry…" Sayuri whispered into Sesshomaru's ear. Sesshomaru was busy messing with the camcorder.

"I'm just glad the play's finally taking place. Now I don't have to hear you two doing your acting warm ups anymore…"

Sayuri gently punched Sesshomaru in the arm.

"Admit it, you were amused…"

"And so…" the narrator said. "The Taketori-no Okina place many guards around the house to protect Kaguya- Hime. But alas, when the fateful night arrived, the guards were blinded by a bright light as the moon people descended down to Earth to retrieve Kaguya- Hime…"

"Pretty Princess!" Akane shouted. Kagome turned red as she placed a hand over her one year old daughter's mouth. Sayuri smirked. It was amusing watching her niece experimenting with her vocal chords.

* * *

(Later)

"You did a great job!" Sayuri said, as she gave Rin a hug.

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"Akane was rather pleased too…" Kagome said, as she struggled with a wiggling Akane.

"Princess Rin!" Akane said, her small arms outstretched towards her favorite cousin.

"Hey there, super star!" Inutashio said, handing Rin a small bouquet of roses.

"That wasn't too bad for a stage debut." Izayoi commented.

"Sesshy, could you get me a Twix bar? I'm starving." Sayuri asked.

"Fine…" Sesshomaru went off to a nearby vending machine.

"So… enjoying being someone's personal slave?" Inuyasha asked, as he stalked over to Sesshomaru.

"No...Not really…" Sesshomaru said blankly.

"Be careful…" Kagome said. "There's a water puddle there."

Sayuri didn't move. She had a horrified look on her face.

"Um… guys…" Sayuri said. All eyes turned to Sayuri. "My… my water broke…"

"That's ok. I got a spare water bottle here." Inuyasha said. Kagome and Izayoi smacked Inuyasha on the head.

"You…are…an… idiot…" Izayoi and Kagome said.

Sayuri almost crashed to the ground. Sesshomaru caught her. She gripped on his shirt as a contraction took place.

"Oh god!" Sayuri shouted. "It hurts…"

"Let's get her into my car." Inuyasha said. "I had to head to the hospital for work after this anyway."

Sesshomaru picked Sayuri up bridal style.

"Dad, could you take Rin home and stay with her?" Sesshomaru said, as he rushed Sayuri out into the car.

"As if I had a choice…" Inutashio mumbled.

"Come on grandpa." Rin said, tugging at his jacket.

"I'll call Chiyo. She's going to want to know about this." Kagome said as she pulled out her cell phone.

* * *

(Ginza apartment complex)

"SHE'S WHAT!? I'm on my way. I'll stop by the house and throw a bag together. Oh My God!"

Chiyo slammed the phone down and scurried around the apartment that she and her husband Aaron shared when they were in Tokyo.

"What's up?" Aaron asked, as he was woken up from his nap by Chiyo's shouts. Chiyo was struggling to get her shoes on.

"My sister's gone into labor." Chiyo said.

"Um… honey…"

"Not now! I got to go!"

"I just thought you would like to know that the whole world's going to see your puppy panties…"

* * *

(Tokyo Airport)

"Damn it. Doesn't the guy know how to write directions?"

"Well, David honey, it's in Japanese…"

"Mom, when are we going to be at Auntie's house?"

"I don't know. Kai, your phone's ringing."

"Thanks, Nobu, could you get that. I'm kind of busy with the luggage."

"Sure."

Nobu Satome took the cell phone out of his wife's back pocket. He looked at the caller ID. His daughter Chiyo was trying to call.

_Probably wondering where we are now…_

"Hello?"

"Dad, where are you guys?" Chiyo's voice said. She sounded like she was running.

"How did I know you were going to ask that? Our plane just landed and now Sayo's trying to help David read Japanese so we're…"

"Well forget that and go to the hospital. Sae's having the baby!"

"She's what!?"

David, Kaulani, Sayo, and Kai looked up from the tourist map.

"Which one? Got ya."

Nobu clipped the phone shut.

"Let's go you guys. Sayuri's in labor…"

"Yay! I'm going to be a grandma!" Kai said, as she waved towards a taxi.

"Um… Kai…" Sayo said. "Let me do it…"

* * *

_Hikaru- San: Now do you see what i mean when i said that you need to read the first story before this one? _

_Anyway, to make it clear for the newbies..._

_Chiyo is Sayuri's sister,_

_Nobu is Sayuri's father_

_Kai is Sayuri's step Mother_

_David is Sayuri's cousin, Sayo is a fire demon and David's wife, and Kaulani is their hanyo daughter_

_If you want to know more about them ,then read finding love... story will make a hell of a lot more sense..._

_Please R&R! _


	3. Delivery! One Cute Baby

"What exactly is the deal with early deliveries?" Kagome asked. She, Chiyo, Aaron, Sango, Miroku, and Jakotsu were sitting outside in the waiting room. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were with Sayuri.

"I think Izayoi said that it was normal for a hanyo to be born a few weeks before the due date." Sango said.

"That's what Inuyasha told me when I was giving birth to Akane." Kagome said.

"Oh my god… I still can't believe that I'm going to be an aunt…" Chiyo said.

"What about Rin?" Jakotsu asked, giving Chiyo a look.

"I mean… biologically…"

"Whatever…." Sango said. A dust cloud ran through the hallway.

"Aunt Chiyo!" Kaulani said, tackling Chiyo.

"Did we miss anything?" Sayo asked.

"Nope… we've been here almost a half hour."

"And…." David pressed.

"If anything comes up, then Inuyasha would have let us know by now." Kagome said.

"Can we see her?" Nobu asked, worry in his voice.

"Only for a few minutes."

All eyes turned towards Inuyasha.

"Did anyone ever tell you how hot you look in that white coat?" Jakotsu asked.

"Back off. I'm married…" Inuyasha said.

* * *

(In the room)

"Now I know how Kagome felt…" Sayuri said weakly to Sesshomaru. The contractions were about 15 minutes apart. They weren't bad enough to start pushing yet.

"You're doing a good job so far…" Sesshomaru said.

Sayuri leaned back into the pillow.

"Who ever invented child birth really sucks…" Sayuri said, with a small smile.

"Hi Sae…" Chiyo said softly, as she and the entourage entered the room.

"Chi…"

"How are you doing?"

"Well...I get a huge pain in my lower abdomen and I can't do anything about so what do you think?" Sayuri snapped back.

"Sorry if I care!" Chiyo said.

"Girls…" Nobu said.

"Daddy…"

"Aw… you forgot about me…" Kai pretended to be upset.

"Kai…"

"Auntie!" Kaulani pushed Sesshomaru from his position by the side of the bed.

"You're going to have a baby soon?"

"Yup…"

"Is it going to be a boy or a girl?"

"Surprise."

"Where's the baby going to come from?"

"OK! Let's go kid! Your aunt needs her rest!" David said. Sayo turned red from shock over what her daughter just said. The two lead the girl outside to have the thing that all parents's feared… the talk…

"Ok, you guys…" Inuyasha said into the room. "Clear out would cha?"

"You're only saying it like that because you know us…" Jakotsu said.

"Immediate family only for now…" Inuyasha said firmly.

"Aw… fine… come on Aaron…" Jakotsu said, tugging at Aaron's arm. Kagome followed.

"We'll leave you alone…" Nobu said, taking Kai by the arm and went out of the room.

"I thought they never leave…" Sayuri said. Another contraction hit and she gripped Sesshomaru's hand. Inuyasha looked out of the corner of his eyes and smirked. Thought his face didn't say anything, Sesshomaru's eyes were full of pain.

* * *

(A few hours later…)

"(Yawn) so who wants Starbucks?" Jakotsu asked.

The other's looked at him as if he was crazy. But coffee did sound good. They got here at 7 o clock and now it was almost 2 in the morning.

"One Grande Café Mocha"

"Three tall zebras (black and white)"

"One espresso. I mean two!"

"And another Mocha for me… great…" Jakostu said, trying to remember who ordered what on his way out.

"Wow… that must be one stubborn baby…" Miroku said, shifting a little to make himself more comfortable as Sango slept in his lap.

"Hiko had birth complications too." Nobu said, fighting sleep.

"Nobu, why don't you, Kai and the other's make yourselves comfortable at our place?" Aaron said.

"Kai and those guys can go, but I'm staying. I want to see my first grandchild." Nobu said firmly.

"Alright dad. Call the minute there's any action." Chiyo said, getting up from her chair, gave David a break by taking a sleeping Kaulani, and she, Aaron, Sayo, David, and Kai walked out. Kagome went home around midnight to pick Akane up from Inutashio and Izayoi's house and to tell Rin what was going on so far.

"This is one hell of a vacation…" Nobu muttered as sleep took over. Miroku rolled his eyes.

"We'll leave it to you…" Miroku said, picking up his wife and left.

* * *

Sayuri stared out the dark window of her room. Sesshomaru dozed off sometime around one. She didn't want to wake him so when another contraction came on, she gripped the sheets. She saw that there were bruises on his hand.

"I'm really sorry about that…" Sayuri said to herself. Inuyasha walked in.

"Anything different?" he asked.

"Just that they're now five minutes apart…" Sayuri said.

"That's progress from the 15 minutes apart. I come by again in a little while, and then we'll see where we're at."

Inuyasha slammed the door on purpose. Sayuri rolled her eyes.

_He sure loves to give Sesshomaru hell…_

Sesshomaru sat up.

"What was that?" he asked lazily.

"That would be Inuyasha." Sayuri said softly.

"How long has it been?"

"Eight long hours… going on nine…"

Then a sharp pain went through Sayuri.

"Oh god…" Sayuri tried to keep the scream in.

"Inuyasha!" Sayuri shouted.

The scream was heard throughout the floor. Nobu jerked awake. Inuyasha came running.

"It hurts… it hurts…" Sayuri said over and over. Sesshomaru held on to her hand.

"This is it…" Inuyasha said. He ordered a few of the nurses on duty to get ready for a delivery.

* * *

(Ginza)

"Hel--- Seriously!? I'll be over!" Chiyo slammed her cell phone shut. Aaron, David and the other's were asleep. She quietly left the apartment. She couldn't sleep when she got home. She instead glued herself to the spot on the couch, watching her cell phone.

* * *

(Hospital)

Inukimi and Inutashio ran down the hallway. They spotted Sayuri's father and sister.

"Well!?" the two said.

"What have you two been taking to stay so wide awake?" Chiyo asked.

* * *

(In the delivery room)

Sayuri screamed from pain.

"Sae, you're doing alright. Just concentrate." Sesshomaru said. He never left her side.

"Dr. Tashio, we're ready." One of the nurses said from the cleaning table.

"Right. Now Sayuri…" Inuyasha said, keeping a professional tone. "When I count to three, I need you to push as hard as you can…"

Sayuri nodded, sweat dripping down her face.

"Ok… one…two… three…"

Sayuri leaned forward as much as possible. About a few moments later, she fell backwards. She was breathing heavily.

"Ok… one more time… one…two…three…"

This one was more painful than the last one. Sayuri couldn't help but cry out.

"I see a head." The assistant said. Then a cry was heard in the room. Sayuri dropped back again.

"It's a girl." Inuyasha said. Sayuri couldn't see the baby, for it was immediately taken to the cleansing table.

"You win the bet…" Sesshomaru said teasingly to Sayuri. She just smiled.

After the baby was cleaned, the nurse handed the bundle to Sayuri.

The baby had silvery hair, and a blue moon like her father. She had two small magenta strips, one on each cheek. Her eyes were currently close so her eye color was yet to be seen.

"She beautiful…" Sayuri said, tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Just like her mother." Sesshomaru said.

"What are you going to name her?" the nurse asked.

Sayuri and Sesshomaru thought long and hard.

"Karei…" Sayuri finally said.

The nurse scribbled it down on her clip board. She read the new parents the information of their newborn daughter.

_

* * *

Tashio Karei_

_Born June 3, 2007, at 3:40 am_

_Weight: 5 pound, 2 ounces_

_Female_

* * *

"Do you want to hold her?" Sayuri asked. She handed Karei to Sesshomaru. The last time he held a baby was when Rin was dumped by her mother and he took her in. his daughter felt so fragile. He never wanted to let her go.

"You're a daddy…" Sayuri cooed sleepily.

He didn't hear her. He listened closely to his daughter's breath.

_We…actually brought her into the world… _he thought to himself.

"Mr. Tashio?" Sesshomaru snapped back to reality.

"I'm sorry, but we have to put the baby in the nursery now." The stork demon nurse said. He handed Karei to her and she walked out of the room. He placed a hand over Sayuri's. She was already asleep. The birth took a lot out of her.

* * *

Inuyasha, meanwhile, was busy telling his stepmother, his father, and Nobu about the baby's arrival.

"Now I have three granddaughters!" Inutashio said happily.

"And the baby's healthy?" Inukimi asked in haste, which was rare for her to do.

"The baby's fine." Inuyasha said.

"What did they name her?" Nobu asked.

"Karei…"

"Aw… that's a pretty name. Has a good meaning too." Inukimi said.

"Dr. Tashio, the boss called. He says go home already…" One of the nurses said to Inuyasha as she walked by.

"Good. Now I can go get some sleep." Inuyasha said, as he headed off towards the locker rooms to change.

_It's going to be a long day tomorrow…_

_

* * *

Hikaru- San: Introducing little Miss Karei Tashio!_

_Karei mean beautiful in Japanese. Well, she is related to Sesshomaru don't forget (thanks for the name Shikonprincess!!!!) _

_This was a rather hard chapter to write because _

_one. I never went into labor_

_two. I never been in a situation when someone I know went into labor (except my mom, but I was six so I stayed home…)_

_Please R&R. _

_Next Chapter… Karei comes home!_


	4. Karei's Homecoming

"Well! Do I have a little brother or a little sister!?" Rin asked. She was getting impatient. Her parents were running late coming home with the baby.

"Clam down Rin. I'm under strict orders that it's going to be surprised." Kagome said, getting the food out. The Tashio women were quick when it came to planning last minute parties. They gathered everyone to Sayuri and Sesshomaru's house for the small baby shower. Kai looked on from the kitchen.

"This is what Sae comes home to after spending time with us in Hawaii? Dang, no wonder she always wanted to leave early…" Kai said, after taking a look around the giant room that was just the living room.

"Kai, this isn't a house… it's a museum…" Nobu said, inspecting a genuine Tokugawa Samurai armor that was in the study.

"Rin, where's the bathroom?" Kaulani asked.

"Down the third hall, the second door on the right."

"OHHH! Why so far away!?"

"I'll race you!" David said, already sprinting.

"DAD! NO FAIR!" Kaulani screamed, as she used her demonic speed to catch up.

Rin smirked. She couldn't wait for her new sibling to come home…

* * *

"Remember… everyone will probably give all their attention to Karei, so we got to keep Rin from getting jealous."

"Sae, I don't think Rin's going to get that jealous…"

"How did you feel after Inuyasha was born?"

"Completely out of the loop… oh…" realization smacked Sesshomaru in the face.

Sayuri gave him a look after she slipped into her jeans.

"Yay! I can fit in them again!" Sayuri said cheerfully. "And I say, before any of the relatives gets the chance to see her, Rin gets first dibs…"

"Got ya…"

"Mrs. Tashio… are you ready?" the nurse asked, carrying a rather familiar bundle of joy.

"Yes…" Sayuri said. Then nurse handed Karei to Sayuri.

"I wish you both the best…" the nurse said, taking a formal bow.

"Thank you…" Sayuri said. Sesshomaru picked up Sayuri's overnight bag, and the two left the hospital.

* * *

"They're coming!" Jakotsu said, after taking a peek through the window. Everyone went to their positions.

"Remember… not too loud… the baby's hearing might be a little sensitive to loud noises." Izayoi said.

* * *

"I hope their not planning any thing…" Sayuri told Sesshomaru as they headed to the front door.

"Knowing your family, I doubt it."

"**My** family I'm not worried about. They don't have the spare…"

* * *

"SURPRISE!"

* * *

"…key…"

* * *

A swarm of females tried to corner Sayuri.

"Aw! Sae, she's adorable!" Chiyo said. She tried to hold Karei, but Sayuri wouldn't let go.

"I know you're my sister, but chibi onee- chan gets first dibs." Sayuri said, making Chiyo go into a child like pout, then laugh. "Where's Rin- chan?"

"Mom! Dad!" Rin said, running up to them. Sayuri bent down to Rin's level.

"Rin… this is your sister, Karei…"

Rin looked at the baby in Sayuri's arms. Karei, by this time, opened her eyes. They were Sesshomaru's golden eyes. Karei giggled when she saw Rin.

"Aw…" Rin said.

"Would you like to hold her, Rin- chan?" Sayuri asked.

"Can I?"

Sayuri placed Karei in Rin's arms.

"Be sure to support her head." Sayuri said.

"Hi Rei- Chan…" Rin said. She took a seat on the couch. Chiyo took one side and Izayoi took the other.

"Oh! She looks so much like Sesshomaru!" Izayoi said, tickling Karei's stomach the way she did to Akane.

"But she has Sayuri's big nose!" Chiyo said teasingly.

"My nose isn't big! Is it?" Sayuri said looking at Sesshomaru, covering her nose with her hand. Sesshomaru placed her hand down.

"No… your nose is pretty." Sesshomaru said. Sayuri smirked.

"I wanna see baby!" Akane shouted. Karei started to whimper.

"Akane- chan… you have to be quieter when you're around her. Her hearings very sensitive…" Kagome said, picking her daughter up.

"Sorry mommy…" Akane said, burying her head under her mother's chin.

* * *

A few hours later (along with a few well earned drinks) everyone left. Sayuri's family went to their original stop, the Tokyo Towers, where Sesshomaru had rooms reserved for their visit.

He walked back into the living room, where Rin and Jaken were finishing up cleaning up after the party.

"Where's Sayuri?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I don't know…"Jaken grumbled.

"I think mom went upstairs. She looked a little tired." Rin said.

Sesshomaru went up the stairs and took a right. Where Karei's room was.

He took a peak inside. Sayuri had an A+ on this particular homework assignment. It took a while to make the vision a reality but they managed. The walls were a soft lavender color with dark purple moons and stars decorating the edges of the walls. There was also a white changing table, and an oak crib. The oak dresser was filled with diapers, rash ointments, baby powder, and small clothes. Same with the closet. At the foot of the crib, there was a white toy chest, with tons of stuffed animals and other things sent by numerous relatives. The only thing missing was his wife and new born child.

Sesshomaru heard a soft cry in their room. He cracked the door a little and smiled at the little scene.

* * *

Sayuri was sitting cross legged on their bed, with Karei in the crook of her arm. The breast milk pump was sitting on the side table. (A/N: yes, those things do exist. My mom used it on my little brother). She held the bottle tenderly so Karei was able to drink it. Sayuri's eyes had a sparkle to them he's never seen before. She was also humming a soft tune. Sayuri looked up and saw Sesshomaru at the doorway. She blushed.

"I couldn't leave her alone in the room." Sayuri said embarrassingly.

Sesshomaru walked over to the bed and took a seat next to Sayuri.

"She's just like you…" he said.

"What do you mean?" Sayuri asked.

"Beautiful…"

Sayuri narrowed her eyes playfully.

"You're a romantic, aren't you?"

Sesshomaru sighed. Sayuri was too sharp for her own good.

"What do you think she's going to be like when she gets older?" Sayuri asked. She loved having these kinds of conversations about the future and what they though would happen.

"Well, most of the time, she's going to act a lot like you…" Sesshomaru replied.

"But instead of my level of seriousness, she'll have your cold hard exterior." Sayuri said playfully.

Karei yawns and fell asleep. Sayuri placed Karei gently between her and Sesshomaru and lied down, placing her hand on Karei's stomach, feeling her go in and out.

"We better be ready when she ha her first human night…" Sayuri whispered.

"You had a talk with Izayoi and Inuyasha didn't you?" Sesshomaru said, lying down to Karei's left. Sayuri turned to the side to face Sesshomaru.

"Izayoi said she'd never been so scared in her life. Inuyasha wouldn't stop screaming."

"I had to go to the hospital from an ear bleed." Sesshomaru said, recalling Inuyasha's vivid memory of his human form on the night of the new moon. Sayuri gave him a look.

"I'm serious." She said. "Think about how she's going to react when she looks into the mirror one day and finds that her appearance has changed."

"And I'm serious too. How else do you think Rei has sensitive hearing? Don't worry about it. We can handle it. I'm just thankful that Izayoi's here to help you out."

Sayuri sighed. She started to wonder what kind of an adventure she got herself into. She looked at her sleeping daughter and smiled. This was going to be a trip that she'll never regret.

_

* * *

Hikaru- San: SORRY FOR THE LONG UPDATE!!!! I was at a lost of words and To Be or Not To Be demanded immediate update. that story is getting close to having as many reviews as Finding Love and TBONTB isn't even close to being over… I'm amazed. Also Beware of the Ipod Nano was taking up a bit of time… Anyway! I hope you all liked this chapter. Please R&R…_


	5. Wow

A few months and a lot of sleepless nights later… Sayuri and Sesshomaru were back on the career paths.

* * *

Sayuri walked into a posh looking business building. She was wearing silky black pants with a pink button up shirt, a black jacket, and sandal heels to match.

"Good morning, Mrs. Tashio. I see you decided to come into work this morning." The receptionist said, greeting Sayuri. Sayuri smirked.

"But only for the morning. I got to take care of my baby for the rest of the day." Sayuri said, waving her portfolio around. She entered the elevator and disappeared.

* * *

"SISTER! Where were you!?" Chiyo shouted in relief. She tried to get a head start on the spring line, but the files were mixed up with Sayuri's interior designs. Now the entire office seemed like a mess. But Sayuri didn't seem to mind.

"What was this lecture you were giving me the other day about abandoning my chaotic order and therefore rearranged my office so it's more organized and I can't find anything…?" Sayuri said playfully. She pulled out three poster boards with the designs that Chiyo was looking for.

"Ok, Smart Ass…" Chiyo huffed, as she went back to her orderly desk.

"So…"

"Ok… messages that was on your desk…" Chiyo said, pulling out her note pad.

"Namie Amuro called, hoping to get an appointment with you about the re decoration of her autumn home in Kyoto…

"That should be fun…"

"The Emperor's secretary called…"

"Wait! I get to decorate a room at the palace!?"

"No… to have her house re decorated…"

"Damn it…"

"And sexy husband called to say good morning and have a nice day…" Chiyo slammed the notebook back down on her desk.

"Well, I think I better call back sexy husband…."

"Oh yeah… he also said that his phone's going to be busy all day… so he'll see you girls at dinner."

"Oh darn… a beautiful morning gone…" Sayuri reached for the intercom.

'Hey Kaguya, who's my nine o clock today?" Sayuri asked.

"Gwen Stefani just landed at Tokyo International. She'll be running a little late…"the demoness replied.

"Super…" Sayuri mumbled.

* * *

After the morning sift, as Sayuri loved to call it, she went off to go play mom.

The rest of the afternoon was devoted to making sure Rin was doing her homework, and Karei was being played with.

"I'm home…" Sesshomaru called out through the house.

Rin and Karei perked up.

"Daddy!" Rin cried. Karei just made a happy noise.

"How's my number one girl?"

"She's doing just fine…" Sayuri said, walking up behind him, kissing him on the cheek.

"I'm exhausted…" Sesshomaru said, as he crashed on the couch. Sayuri took his left side, while Rin, with Karei, took his right side.

"Long day?"

"You have no idea."

"I had a long day too!" Rin said, joining the conversation.

"Tell him what happened at school today! Exactly how you told me!" Sayuri said.

"Ok! I was running down the field today, and I accidentally kicked Muso in the crotch today. I was running in, he tried to block me, and I tried to pass the ball to Kimiko! You should have seen the look on his face!" Rin said.

Then, the door knocked.

"Who could that be?" Sayuri said. She got up and went to answer the door.

* * *

In front of her was a tall young boy, with black hair that reached his shoulders. He had on a gray sweatshirt, baggy blue jeans, and converse.

"May I help you?" Sayuri asked.

"Is a Mr. Tashio Sesshomaru here?" the boy asked, his demonic blue eyes looking Sayuri over.

"Yes he is. Would you like to come in? I'm Mrs. Tashio." Sayuri said, letting the boy in.

_I wonder who he is… _Sayuri thought to herself.

"Sesshomaru…"

Sesshomaru looked up from the paper he was reading. Rin took Karei upstairs while Sayuri was getting the door.

"Who's this Sayuri?" Sesshomaru asked.

The boy stood up.

* * *

"My name is Tsukino Ryusei. My mother was Tsukino Sara." He said. Sesshomaru looked up and got a good look at Ryusei. Sayuri was wondering why saying who his mother was, was important… unless.

"According to this…" Ryusei said, pulling a birth certificate out. "I'm your son…"

Sesshomaru's eyes went wide. He wet through his mind…

Sara…Sara... Sara…

"I don't blame you for not knowing about me. Mom kept quiet about it." Ryusei said. "She died last month."

Sayuri was surprised. She thought the ex- fiancée incident was bad. This was something completely new.

Sesshomaru was still at a loss of words. Then he suddenly remembered. Tsukino Sara… she was his girlfriend in high school. She disappeared a month before graduation. No body knew why. Now he knew. But… it couldn't be.

"Well," Sayuri finally said. "It's really nice to meet you!"

Sayuri didn't show of any sign of kicking Ryusei out of the house. She just wasn't that kind of person.

"I think I'll leave you two alone for a moment." Sayuri walked out of the room, leaving Sesshomaru and Ryusei to glance at one another.

_

* * *

_Sayuri thought to herself. She flung herself onto the bed. 

"I wonder… how close he was and this Sara…" Sayuri said. What if Ryusei wasn't lying and Sesshomaru really was his father? Sayuri decided that there was nothing wrong with having another kid around. This Sara must have put a lot of thought into it about not telling Sesshomaru about Ryusei. But that would be like… Sayuri's head spun from doing the math. Though Sesshomaru hasn't aged passed the age of 23, he was like… 35 years old, in human years. That would mean that he would have been 18 when Ryusei was born. Sayuri reached for the aspirin. This was too much math for her…

* * *

"Sara… was your mother?"

Ryusei nodded.

This was awkward. But it was difficult to tell who felt more awkward, Sesshomaru, who just found out he had a son for 17 years, or Ryusei, who just met his father.

"She died of breast cancer last month." Ryusei said. "I was kind of hoping… that you could take me in…"

Sesshomaru could tell that Ryusei was a boy that thought things through. He had to of put some thought into it or else why else would he be sitting in the living room right now?"

"I'm not sure… to be honest…" Sesshomaru said.

Ryusei continued to look at the floor.

"I wasn't expecting a warm welcome. I just though…"

'However…" Sesshomaru cut him off. "What kind of a person would I be of I just threw a teenager out into the streets. At least stay here tonight and we'll figure the rest out in the morning."

* * *

Sayuri just walked into the room, with an icepack on her head. Sesshomaru and Ryusei looked on.

"Sae… are you ok?" Sesshomaru asked. Sayuri gave him a look.

"I… hate… math…" Sayuri mumbled, as she went into the kitchen. Ryusei and Sesshomaru looked at each other.

"What was that about?" Ryusei asked.

"No idea."

"Sesshomaru! Could you come here for a minute?" Sayuri called out.

"Excuse me." Sesshomaru got up.

* * *

Ryusei looked around the house. They seemed to be making a decent living, compared to the one bedroom apartment he and his mother were able to afford. He used his demonic powers to listen into the conversation in the kitchen.

* * *

"A son…" Sayuri said.

"I would have remembered if we conceived a child. I don't know if he's telling the truth."

Sayuri looked up from her sandwich project and looked her husband straight in the eye. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"If he does turn out to be your son, we'll make it work…" Sayuri said with a smile.

"Sae…"

'I know this is... quite a surprise… but there's no reason why you should just kick him out. He's looking for someone to help take care of him. Even if he's almost out of high school, he still needs the support of a family. Of course I'm a little hurt. But that was before we met each other and if Sara kept him a secret from you, how could you have known you had a son?

'So don't worry. Son or not, let's welcome him into the family with open arms."

Sesshomaru looked at his mate and smiled.

"Where would I be without you?"

"Bored to death…" Sayuri said with a giggle, as she leaned in for a kiss from Sesshomaru.

* * *

Ryusei heard all he needed to hear. The woman in his father's life seems nice enough, even willing to treat him as if he was her own son. But she couldn't have been that much older than him. 19… 20…21 tops…

"Ok!"

Ryusei jumped from the sudden re appearance of Mrs. Tashio.

"So, what do you like to eat? I was going to start dinner and I was wondering what you liked."

"Um… Mrs. Tashio…"

"Please… Mrs. Tashio is my mother- in- law. Call me Sayuri."

"Ok… Sayuri…" Ryusei was a little uncomfortable with the sudden informality. "How old are you, if I'm not being too rude to ask."

Sayuri was surprised with the question.

"I'm 24, going on 25 in October." Sayuri replied.

"24!? You're old enough to be my sister!!!!"

Sayuri giggled.

"If I was 18, I could be your sister…" Sayuri gave Ryusei a smile.

Ryusei relaxed and smiled back. Maybe coming here wasn't such a bad idea.

_

* * *

_


	6. In Heat

_Hikaru- San: uh oh… lemon alert…_

* * *

And so, the next day, Sesshomaru and Ryusei went in for a blood test. Turned out that Ryusei wasn't lying about being related to Sesshomaru.

Sayuri adjusted to having two men around the house. Rin liked the fact that now she had an older brother to complain about (in a teasing manner.) Karei remained oblivious to everything that was going on.

Sayuri loved the little puppy more than anything (besides Rin and Sesshy of course!).

But Rin was getting to be quite a hand full lately. Sayuri was in the kitchen, making dinner, humming a song. Then she growled in frustration. Rin just happened to be walking into the room.

"Darn it Rin…" Sayuri mumbled.

"What I do?" Rin asked innocently.

"You got that song stuck in my head…"

"La La La Love Song!" Rin sang.

"Oh! Stop it!" Sayuri whined.

Rin giggled. So far, her plan was working. Her friend's mom was having a charity talent show in the next three weeks, and she wanted to do something with Sayuri and Sesshomaru. The problem was… to get the two to agree to do it with her.

"And I told you already young lady…" Sayuri said, turning to face Rin. "I'll only do it if your father will too. And you and I both know how bad his case of stage fright is…"

"He didn't seem to have a problem with it when you two broke up when you were dating…" Rin shot back.

"A break up musical number?" Ryusei said, walking into the kitchen from basketball practice. "This I got to hear…"

Sayuri turned red.

"It… it was nothing…"

"I'll be more than happy to explain it to ya!" Inuyasha said, suddenly coming into the house from the back door.

"Who gave you a key!?" Sayuri asked. Karei cried out in delight from her play pen, reaching her small arms out towards her uncle.

"My brother…" Inuyasha said, taking a seat next to his nephew. When Sayuri and Sesshomaru broke the news about Ryusei, the family was shocked. Sayuri's father nearly threw a fit and told Sayuri to divorce the guy since he was keeping secrets from her. She just laughed. Now that a month went by, everyone warmed up to Ryusei and welcomed him into the family.

"Anyway… about the musical breakup…"

"You tell him you die…" Sayuri said, pointing a knife at Inuyasha threatenly.

"Mom and Dad got into a fight about Mom's old fiancée." Rin said.

"… and since the party's theme was urban…" Inuyasha continued. "Sayuri started the karaoke machine up and the two did a number from Rent…"

Ryusei started laughing.

"Take Me Baby! Or Leave Me!!!" Rin sang. Even though she wasn't there, she heard a lot about it from Izayoi and Kagome.

"OK THAT'S ENOUGH!" Sayuri said, turning redder… and becoming a little more annoyed.

"What's going on?" Sesshomaru asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Hello sweetheart…" he said, walking by Karei's pen, picking up his daughter and kissed her on the cheek. Ryusei and Inuyasha gave Sesshomaru a sly look.

"I never took you for a guy to be singing show tunes…" Ryusei said with a smirk.

"What?" Sesshomaru asked confused.

Sayuri slammed the pot lid down, making everyone in the room jump.

Sayuri turned around to face everyone. Inuyasha swore her brown eyes were red for a moment.

"That never leaves this house…" Sayuri said deadly, as she walked out.

"What did you do to her now?" Sesshomaru asked.

"They made a comment about the Rent thing when you two broke up…" Rin said, flipping through a nearby magazine. Inuyasha and Ryusei looked away from Sesshomaru, suddenly finding the white wall interesting.

Sesshomaru handed Karei to Inuyasha.

"I better cool her down…" Sesshomaru said, as he headed up the stairs.

Rin took a good look at her uncle, who was tickling Karei's stomach, making her giggle.

"Ok… so what did you do to make Aunt Kagome mad now?"

* * *

Sesshomaru followed Sayuri's scent. It led him to the outside of her studio. He slowly opened the door. Sayuri was messing with… something.

"What are you doing?" Sesshomaru asked. Sayuri jumped, toy flying out of her hand.

"Nothing!" Sayuri said immediately.

Sesshomaru didn't buy it. He couldn't help but smirk. No wonder she's been moody lately. Izayoi did the same thing when he accidentally walked in on her while growing up. Sayuri was in heat.

Sayuri tried to hide the sex toy under a pillow on the bed. When she had to work late, she slept in the studio. She turned red. Great…now Sesshomaru saw it…

He bravely pulled the toy out and threw it across the room.

"Why were you messing with that thing?" he asked, pulling Sayuri close.

"Uh…"

"If you just needed something…" he brushed her cheek. "All you have to do was ask…"

Sayuri smirked.

"Let's… just try to keep the noise down…" She said seductively, pulling her shirt over her head. "I don't want the kids to hear us. Your brother's timing couldn't have been more perfect…"

Sesshomaru proceeded to lock the door.

"I know…" he said, kissing Sayuri, while taking off her bra.

Sayuri worked fast, unbuttoning his shirt. Her hands glided gently across his broad chest.

_Oh Kami! Why did you have to make his sooo sexy? _

Sesshomaru pulled Sayuri's hair out of its ponytail so it fell loosely around her body. He laid her down on the bed, kissing her neck, where his mark lied. Sayuri's back arched as she breathed in deeply. He always had that affect on her. Sesshomaru went lower, slowly pulling off the denim pants, underwear and all.

"Why do I have to be naked first?" Sayuri whined, making a move for Sesshomaru pants.

"Because you're the woman…" Sesshomaru said, earning a playful slap to the arm from Sayuri.

"Shut up…" she said, kissing him again. Once the pants were off, he slid on top of Sayuri. He entered her, and began to move slowly. She always wanted to start off gentle…

Sayuri's moans encouraged him to move faster.

A few minutes later, Sayuri was about ready to come.

"Oh… god… please don't… stop…." Sayuri gasped.

The headboard kept hitting the wall.

"Faster…" Sayuri moaned.

Sesshomaru complied with the command.

Suddenly, she came…

"SESS…HOMARU!!!!" Sayuri shouted as quietly as possible, not wanting Rin or Karei to hear.

Not long after, Sesshomaru came too.

* * *

Downstairs, Inuyasha's sensitive hearing heard the headboard banging.

_Geez… what a bunch of horny animals… _Inuyasha thought to himself.

"What's taking mom and dad so long?" Rin asked innocently.

"I don't know…" Inuyasha instantly replied. Ryusei was the only one who noticed Inuyasha turn red. His demonic hearing picked up the banging headboard upstairs

_I don't want to know! I don't want to know! I don't want to know! I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!!!!!! _Ryusei thought to himself, as he turned red. He turned back to his half sister and continued to play peek- a- boo with her.

_

* * *

_

_Any who! Read and review!_

Hey! That rhymed!


	7. Saving Rin

_Hikaru- San: Ok... finally decided to update. I'm a little mad at myself for forgetting MY computer_

_so I'm kinda working off my aunts computer so sorry if i don't reply to you guys asap like _

_I usually do. anyway... here's an update!!!!_

_p.s... thank you angel- chan... _

* * *

Ryusei kicked another rock on his way home. His car was still at his friends garage so driving home was completly out of the picture for now. Sayuri told him earlier today that she wasn't going to be able to pick up Rin from school today so she asked Ryusei to make sure she got home ok.

Ryusei sighed. Sure, the people he was living with now were nice to him and everything, and they made sure that he was comfortable and stuff, but the rest of the family seemed like they were only nice to him because he lived with Sayuri and Sesshomaru.

_Sorry that i was... kind of unplanned... _Ryusei thought bitterly to himself.

He could usually tell when people were only pretending to be nice. the rest of the family kind of seemed half heartedly kind to him. he sighed.

_Guess you can't expect everything to be alright. Mom always said to be careful what to expect..._

* * *

"Hey Ryu! Wait up!" a girl's voice called out.

Ryusei turned to find his long time friend running up to him.

"Oh... Hey Lili." Ryusei said, with a small smile.

"You seem down in the dumps... don't tell me that father of yours is transfering you to some prep school!!!" Lili said, looking like she was ready to give someone a piece of her mind.

Ryusei couldn't help but laugh.

"No... I'm not getting transfered. Sayuri said it would have been messed up to have me start over somewhere else when i'm in my last year in high school."

Lili calmed downed and smiled.

For a human, she sure didn't act as weak as one. She was 5' 6, pretty tall for her family. She often wore a lot of braclets and necklaces, customly made by her, but cleverly hidden under her school uniform. unlike the other girls at school, Lili was one of the few that looked like a model in the black and white sailor uniform. with black knee socks and brown loafers. Her jet black hair was often in a long braid in the back. She was from a military family that lived on one of the bases. So she was a Chinese American.

You would have never guess that either, unless you asked her.

"Ya know, Ryu... I'm starting to like your stepmother more and more!" Lili said, cracking a bigger smile.

"You still want me to get you one of her designer bags, aren't you?" Ryusei asked with a sigh.

Ever since Lili discovered that his stepmother co- own one of Japan's most popular fashion and interior Lines, Lili's been asking for one of the bags that Chiyo's been desgining lately.

"Sorry Ryusei... but you can't come across a girl and her asccesories. and you still owe me from that soccer scrimage we had two weeks ago..." Lili snapped back. Then she looked ahead.

"Hey... isn't that one of Sessh's kids?" she asked, pointing to a small figure up ahead.

"That's Rin..." Ryusei said, reconizing the figure. "I wonder what's up..."

Lili and Ryusei started to run over to her.

* * *

Rin kept running. the bathrooms were out of the question. they would still get in. The troublesome sixth graders from the third floor. She didn't know why they kept on picking on her. She started to wonder of it had anything to do with how she was in the special advance placment classes, or if it was her family? Either way, it wasn't good.

"YOU WHO!!!!! Miss Smarty Pants..." a taunting voice called out. Rin stayed hidden in a dark corner. She was just standing where Ryusei was suppose to meet her.

He wasn't running late or anything, but then the sixth grade girls suddenly decided to pick on her today. As if making her spill her lunch at noon today wasn't enough...

"Oh there you are Rin..." a snobbish tiger youkai said, standing in front of rin with her group of other tiger youkai and two dog youkai and one human.

"Please leave me alone..." Rin said.

The others just laughed.

"Oh really? You want us to leave you alone?" the tiger youkai, Nana, asked. "We can't do that sweetie pie. Not after that smart ass remark you said at lunch."

"If you're looking for an apology, then i'm sorry for saying that you're nothing but a waste of nine lives..." Rin said meekly.

"Apology accepted..." Nana said, but still not moving, or stopping with the killing stare at Rin. "But you're still going to pay the consequences..."

Nana suddenly punched Rin in the gut. Rin lost her breath. Then one of the other tiger youkai tripped Rin so she fell to the ground. Rin cried out in pain, as she landed on her ankle weird. Nana and a few of the others were digging through Rin's school bag., while the others were still beating her up.

"This is what they're teaching third graders!?" the human girl said, picking up a copy of Rin Antropology book.

"You really are a nerd, aren't ya?" Nana said, throwing the book in the mud.

"Hey! Stop that!"

the sixth graders turned around, as a dragon youkai and a human girl came running up.

* * *

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Lili shouted at the girls.

The gang of sixth graders looked at each other.

"Nothing..." the girls replied meekly.

Ryusei gave them one glare that would have made Sesshomaru proud (and proving the fact tha they're related...)

"If you mess with my little sister again..." Ryusei said deadly.

The girls began to freak.

"OH! this... this is your sister... did you know... no i didn't know!!!"

Nana was pushed ahead of the other girls. She face Ryusei.

"We're really sorry..." she said meekly.

Ryusei didn't let up on his killer stare.

"Come back when you mean it. And in the mean time, stay away from my sister..."

The girls screamed and ran off. Lili was already helping Rin.

"Is anything broken?" Lili asked. Rin cried out when she tried to stand up. Ryusei was all too familiar with ankle injuries and took a look at Rin's.

"You're lucky kid..." Ryusei said. "It's just a sprain."

"Are... you sure?" Rin asked, in between tears and cries.

"Trust me darling. Ryusei's knows a lot about ankle stuff... considering how often he kept spraining his during basketball season..." Lili said, giving Ryusei a look.

"Come on... we'll get you home..." Ryusei said, picking Rin up, after wrapping her ankle in atheltic wrap that he kept in his gym bag. Lili picked up Rin's school bag, and the three were off.

* * *

"I'm a little tea pot short and stout! here is my handle! Here is my spout! When I get all steamed up, hear me SHOUT! Tip me over and pour me out!" Akane sang rather loudly. Sesshomaru sighed.

It's not that he didn't ove his niece and enjoyed watching her when Kagome and Inuyasha had to go to work... but Five hours of that would drive any sane person crazy. Karei tried to sing along in her usual baby gibbrish, but resorted to her usual giggling. Sayuri's birthday was next week and Sesshomaru was _trying _to plan something special... but there was too much distraction.

"Akane..." he muttered.

"yes uncle?" Akane asked, in a cute voice.

"Couldn't you and Karei go watch a movie or something?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Ok!" Akane said cheerfully. She took Karei by the hand and led her into the living room.

Sesshomaru couldn't help but smirk. Akane was definantly her mother's daughter. She was looking more like Kagome every passing day, if not for the puppy ears and golden eyes she got from her uncle.

Sesshomaru suddenly heard the front door open and close.

"Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Don't you wish your girlfriend was a freak like me! Don't Cha!" a voice sang out.

Sesshomaru would recongize it anywhere. he immediatly hid all the stuff he was working one. Sayuri entered the kitchen with her arms full of groceries.

"Don't you wish your girlfriend was raw like me! Don't ya wish your girlfriend was fun like me?..." Sayuri kept singing, completly oblivious to her surroundings.

"Isn't that why I married you?" Sesshomaru asked playfully. Sayuri zipped around.

"Oh Hi Honey! I didn't know you were home..." Sayuri said, knowing perfectly well that he was, since it was his day off today.

"Mama!" Karei said, running into the kitchen as fast as her small legs could carry her.

Sayuri smiled as she picked up her daughter.

"They only reason you came running was that you sniffed the treats out..." Sayuri said playfully to her daughter, as Akane came running too.

"I never thought I'd be buying this..." Sayuri muttered, as she pulled out a giant bag of Pedigree dog food. (tee hee! get it?)

"Did I say 'i love you' today?" Sesshomaru asked.

Sayuri rolled her eyes.

"Whatever..." Sayuri said, as she got out three bowls and filled them with dog food. Hey, who would have thought that Dog Youkai liked dog food? Sayuri gave it to them on father's day as a joke suggested by Kaulani, but it turned into a very popular snack item...

"Thanks!" the dog youkai and hanyos said, immediatly taking the bowls and went to the living room.

"Do I live in a house or a kennel?" Sayuri asked herself, as she started to finish putting the groceries away.

Then the back door opened.

"where have you two be..." Sayuri stopped in mid sentence.

"oh my god! What happened?" Sayuri said, when she spotted Rin.

"Some stupid sixth graders were picking on Rin today..." Ryusei said, carrying Rin into the living room, so she could lie down on the couch.

Lili froze at the doorway.

"oh... my... god... you're really her..." Lili said to Sayuri in a dazed chant.

"Um... who are you?" Sayuri asked, confused.

"Lili..." Ryusei said warningly.

"Right! Sorry! I'm Cheng Lili! I'm one of Ryusei's friends!" Lili said.

"What happened?" Sesshomaru asked, when Ryusei and Rin were in the living room.

"Some sixth graders beat me up today..." Rin said weakly. "But Ryusei scared them off before they did worse..." Rin added proudly, looking at Ryusei.

Sesshomaru and Sayuri gave Ryusei a look.

"Uh! In a non- violent way mind you! I don't hit younger people or girls!" Ryusei hastily added.

"Scared them off with ine killer stare!" Lili added. All eyes turned to her. Lili giggled nervously.

"I'll wait in the kitchen..." Lili said, then disappearing.

_Lili... _

"I'll... uh.. be going up to my room... LILI!!!!!"

"Coming!"

The two teenagers ran upstairs.

Sayuri, Rin, and Karei gave Sesshomaru a look.

'Talk to him...' The look said it all...

_Women... _

* * *

"I think it went pretty well..." Lili said, while turing the pages of her chemistry book.

"Oh my god... you're opening a science book..." Ryusei said teasingly. Lili gave him a deadly look.

"Sorry that i find studio arts more interesting..." Lili added bitterly. "besides, YOU're my chemistry tutor, so let's get to work..."

There was a knock at the door.

"Yeah?" Ryusei said.

"Ryusei..." Sesshomaru said, opening the door.

"I'll leave you two alone!" Lili said, immediatly jumping on the chance to avoid chemistry homework and ran downstairs.

_Lili..._

"So... what do you want?" Ryusei asked.

_Just like Sara... always suspicious..._

"Nothing... just... good job today..."

"Huh?"

"With Rin, i mean..." Sesshomaru said.

This was new. He was way too used to giving Rin advice. Now he has to learn how to do that for teenagers... oh well...

Ryusei was suprised. This was the first time that the two had one on one time since Ryusei moved in.

"Uh... thanks... I guess..."

Sesshomaru just smiled. Maybe having a son wasn't so bad. At least... he has some other guy around the house, that's ruled by girls...

* * *

In speaking of which...

"So... those are the kinds of courses you need to take if you're going to be a designer?"

"Yeah... well... it also depends on what kind of desginer you want to be..." Sayuri continued.

"Hold on... I got to get my notebook out..." Lili said.

_

* * *

_

_please read and review..._


	8. Of Mergers and Proud Mary

------ Six years later-----

"Hm…. This is a really nice way to spend a birthday…" Sayuri murmured, as her mate continued to wash her back.

The two were sitting in the rather large tub; both had their hair up to prevent it from getting wet.

"You don't look to bad for 31…" Sesshomaru said. Sayuri blew a few bubbles at him.

"No duh, Sherlock…. I still look 24…" Sayuri huffed. "It's like saying for a 42 year old; you don't look a day over 23…"

"And you said I was being the smart as…"

"You are…"

Sesshomaru smirked. He was going to make her pay for that. He started to slowly kiss her neck. Sayuri let the tingle his touch caused consume all over her body. Sesshomaru started to slowly work down. Right before he disappeared beneath the suds, Sayuri lifted his head.

"Nuh uh… I am not letting my man drown himself. I know how you work down there…" Sayuri teased. She leaned closer to his ear.

"Besides…I don't think we're alone anymore…" she whispered. She got out of the tub.

_Damn it… you are so going to pay for that later…_Sesshomaru thought as he followed her out.

* * *

"Ya know…" Sayuri called from the bedroom, after she got one of her silk night slips on. 

"What?" he called back, putting on boxers, flannel pj bottoms and his robe.

"I think we need to replace the mattress. I mean, look how bumpy it is…" Sayuri said, taking a seat on the bed.

"Really? We just replaced it last year…" Sesshomaru said, taking a spot next to his wife.

"Maybe if you beat the mattress it would help with the bumps…"

"Like this…"

He gently hit the bed, causing it… to giggle?

"You're not very sneaky honey!" Sayuri said giggling, as she pulled back the covers and started to tickle a six year old girl.

"Mommy! Stop!" Karei cried out, laughing.

* * *

So far, she was growing up to be a very beautiful girl. Her hair reach to just below her knees, but she always wore it in pig tails, loving the way the black in her hair ended right at the end from the white. Even though she had her father's eye color, they were more like Sayuri's.

* * *

"Mommy! I made you a card!" Karei said, holding up a simple paper card scribbled over with crayon. Sayuri sweat dropped. 

"Did you have to draw all those candles?" Sayuri asked.

"Yup! Because you're old!" the six year old said, while giggling.

Sayuri and Sesshomaru couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok pup, time for bed." Sesshomaru said, tossing Karei over his shoulder.

"But daddy! It's only nine!" Karei whined.

"An hour pass your bedtime." Sayuri added.

"But Rin gets to stay up late!"

"That's because Rin's 16…" Sesshomaru said, getting closer to the bedroom door.

"Boo! I don't wanna wait ten years!" Karei whined.

Sesshomaru just rolled his eyes. She was too much like Sayuri for her own good.

Sayuri giggled as the two bickering dog youkai exited the room.

* * *

"Good Morning Mr. Tashio." Kagura said, as Sesshomaru entered the company lobby. 

"Morning…" he replied.

"Odd thing happened this morning…"

"What?"

"Your son was in earlier than usual today, which is strange considering how much the kid likes to sleep in…" she said, handing Sesshomaru his coffee.

"That's because his girlfriend is coming in from America tonight."

"Hm… that explains a lot…" Kagura said, turning back to her computer.

_Especially since he pretty much bathed in Calvin Kline… or it seemed like it… I could catch his scent before he even entered the first floor. _The wind demoness rolled her eyes at the thought.

Sesshomaru just shrugged the gesture off and went into his office.

_Why am I so tired?_

* * *

"Hey dad!" Ryusei called from the doorway.

* * *

After he graduated high school, Ryusei went to Tokyo University, then eventually to Harvard, to pursue a degree in business management. He was now working as an intern for Sesshomaru's computer company. Unknown to Ryusei, Sesshomaru was planning to pass the company on to him when he retired. In the meantime, Ryusei's just gaining experience on how companies run.

* * *

"What's up?" Sesshomaru asked, while taking a seat behind the oak desk. 

"So… it's alright for me to get off early to pick Lili up at the airport today, right?"

"I said it was alright… and I found out from Kagura that you came in early to make up the time you would have missed…"

"Time management baby…" Ryusei replied, with a cocky smirk.

Sesshomaru just rolled his eyes.

"Whatever…."

"So Lil and I will be by the house at 5 tomorrow. She can't wait to see Rei-chan."

"Do what you want…"

Ryusei left. That gave Sesshomaru a bit of peace and quite to finish his coffee, and read the newspaper, only to be interrupted again by Kagura.

"Mr. Tashio…" Kagura said, as she opened the door.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Someone is here to see you."

"Do they have an appointment?"

"Trust me, Mr.Tashio… you're going to want to see this one…" Kagura said in a tone that indicated that the person in question wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Fine… show him in."

"Yes, sir.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of town… _

* * *

Y know, every now and then  
I think you might like to hear something from us  
Nice and easy  
But there's just one thing  
You see we never ever do nothing  
Nice and easy  
We always do it nice and rough  
So were gonna take the beginning of this song  
And do it easy  
Then were gonna do the finish rough  
This is the way we do proud mary_

Sayuri and Chiyo moved their hips to the beat of the music. They were gathered in the studio today, as they had a huge order of designed to fill so might as well have fun while they were at it…

* * *

_And were rolling, rolling, rolling on the river  
Listen to the story  
_

* * *

Sayuri started to lip sync to Tina Turner's voice, while Chiyo did Ike Turner. _

* * *

I left a good job in the city  
Working for the man every night and day  
And I never lost one minute of sleeping  
Worrying bout the way things might have been _

Big wheel keep on turning  
Proud mary keep on burning  
And were rolling, rolling  
Rolling on the river

* * *

Chiyo took over for Tina, while Sayuri did Ike. _

* * *

Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis  
Pumped a lot of tane down in new orleans  
But I never saw the good side of the city  
Till I hitched a ride on a riverboat queen _

_We__'re rolling, rolling  
Rolling on the river  
_

* * *

"I sometimes have to question your work ethics girls…" Jakotsu said, sighing. 

Chiyo and Sayuri couldn't help but giggle.

"Hey! When you have a job like ours… who wouldn't goof off?" Sayuri pointed out, taking a seat next to Jakotsu.

"So… Chi-chan…" Jakotsu said, crossing his legs in the same manner as Sayuri. "Should Sae-chan be expecting any nieces or nephews anytime soon?"

Chiyo's face turned completely red.

"Um… well…"

"Yes sister… it's about time you started a family…" Sayuri added.

"The thing is…" Chiyo tried to say in her defense. "Aaron and I are so busy with our careers now that I don't think that we will have time for a family. And after seeing you in child birth…" Chiyo made a sick face.

"I'm not sure if I want kids…"

Sayuri threw a rag at Chiyo.

"You're so dumb!" Sayuri said teasingly. Chiyo playfully stuck her tongue out.

"And the whole 'I'm too busy for kids' is total bullshit…" Jakotsu added. "I mean, look at Sayuri! She's not only a mother, but a stepmother, and an adoptive mother… and yet she still has time to become Japan's top interior designer."

"Live by example…" Sayuri added, as she got up and went to her art desk to continue working on an interior design for Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

"I have to talk to Aaron about kids tonight…" Chiyo concluded, earning a small applause from Jakotsu.

"Oh! And Sae! Don't forget Rei-chan only has a half day of school today." Chiyo added.

"I know… got it on my phone…" Sayuri replied. She looked at the clock. 12:00 pm. DAMN IT! She had to go pick up her little puppy.

* * *

If there was something that Sesshomaru was never expecting, it was the person that entered his office next. 

"Hello old chum…" a spider hanyo, with long tangly black hair, held back in a ponytail, in a dark gray business suit and tie, said, as he entered, his red eyes not leaving Sesshomaru.

"Naraku…" Sesshomaru said coolly.

"So… I see that life's been treating you well. Who would have thought that the star of our class would have taken over one of Japan's biggest computer companies?" Naraku said casually.

"And what have you been doing with yourself?"

"Creating and running a company of my own…"

Naraku took a quick glance at the family photo that was on Sesshomaru desk. Naraku smirked.

"Well, what do you know… the great Sesshomaru mated a human, and had a hanyo…?"

"What's your business here?" Sesshomaru asked, getting annoyed with the small talk that Naraku had going.

"Ah yes, always straight to the point…"

Naraku then pulled out a file from his brief case.

"I would like to merge our companies together. Just think of the profits that will be coming in. It will most likely give you a better retirement plan that what you already have now. It wouldn't be a bad idea to do it for that cute little family of yours…" Naraku slid the papers towards Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru took a glance through the papers, though his mind was already made up. He knew too well that the only reason Naraku's company only did well was because of constant bribing of public and political officials. He didn't trust any of the money in the Onigumo Inc. name. He'd rather make an honest attempt to help the world with technological needs.

"Thanks but no thanks…" Sesshomaru said, sliding the papers back. "I'm not interested."

"But…"

"I said… I'm not interested. You can just go and find some other company to embezzel, because Tashio co. will have no part in it." Sesshomaru said sternly.

Naraku narrowed his eyes.

"you're going to regret that… Sesshomaru…" Naraku said, as he stormed out of the office.

* * *

"Rei-chan. You have daddy's lunch, right?" Sayuri asked Karei, as the two got off the elevator. 

"Yup mommy! Right here!" Karei replied, lifting the bundle with her right hand, while her left was being held by Sayuri.

"That's a good girl!" Sayuri said with a smile. As the two walked on, a man brushed Sayuri's shoulder. He looked at her with cold red eyes.

"so… you're the infamous Mrs. Tashio." The man said, looking at Sayuri, especially at her mating mark.

* * *

Naraku's envy grew as he continued to look at Sesshomaru's wife. She was a perfect built, with the right size breast and butt, and long legs. Her black hair was currently down to her waist, bringing out the white in her silk blouse and evening out the black knee length skirt. Naraku then turned his attention to the little girl. She looked a lot like Sesshomaru, if not for the black tips of her hair, and the single stripe on eack cheek.

* * *

"You have a good day…" he say, disappearing in the elevator. 

_I really don't like the vibe I get off that man…_Sayuri thought to herself.

"Mommy," Karei said. "I don't like that man…"

Sayuri looked at her daughter, who squeezed her hand tighter. Sayuri suddenly remembered something that Kai told her while growing up.

_If dogs don't like a certain person, then there's a pretty good reason as to why…_

_I think you might be right on that one Kai…_

* * *

"So, he was trying to propose a business merger?" Sayuri asked. 

She and Sesshomaru were sitting in bed, with Sayuri working on a sketch in her sketch book.

"Key word…tried…" Sesshomaru said, while gently tugging at the sketch book.

"Please tell me you refuse it…" Sayuri said.

"Why are you asking?"

"Because he gave me and Karei these weird vibes. It was like, he was checking me out… but he also seemed disgusted somehow… I don't know… it's weird to explain…" Sayuri said.

Sesshomaru finally suceeded in pulling the sketchbook away, only to wrap Sayuri in his arms.

"It was probably because he was jealous that he doesn't have a beautiful wife like you…" He whispered in her ear.

Sayuri couldn't help but giggle.

"Ok… what did you do this time?" Sayuri asked suspiciously.

"Hid some odd cans of whipped cream under the bed…" Sesshomaru said, in a Karei- ish way meaning 'I'm not up to anything.'

Sayuri gently whacked him with a pillow.

"You're so dumb!" Sayuri muttered, but reached for under the bed anyway.

_

* * *

Hikaru- chan: hoped you all like this chapter! Please R&R and i'll update asap! oh yea! before i forget, i don't own anything... except for the OCs. song in this story is Proud Mary by Ike and Tina Turner!_


	9. Of DDR and Disapperance

_Hikaru- San: Remember, I own nothing… except the OC characters…and if I did… then_

_1. I would be one wealthy girl_

_2. I wouldn't be writing fan fiction, I would be busy making and publishing manga… though I'll get there eventually…_

_Any who… I'll shut up and let you read… tee hee I talk too much. _

* * *

"Ok… I have no idea what to do for that room…" Sayuri said, pointing at the picture of the room in question that Karei was trying to hold steadily for her mother.

"If you're clients weren't so darn picky…" 16 year old Rin muttered.

"Those are the Hiltons for you…" Sayuri replied.

"Mommy, my arms are tired…" Karei said, as her small arms were starting to shake.

"Ok… cookie break…" Sayuri said.

Karei gently place the giant photo down, knowing that it was valuable for her mom's work, and reached for the cookie tray. Only, she was stopped when a pair of mysterious arms picked her up.

"WHOA!!!!" Karei cried out in surprise.

"Oh my god! Rei- chan! You've gotten so big!" Lili said, trying to squeeze the life out of Karei.

"We're here…" Ryusei said, knowing that it was pointless.

"Nice to see you two…" Sayuri said, trying to get up from the piles of sketches and fabrics.

"Lili!" Rin said, running over to give Lili a hug after she released Karei.

* * *

Lili has been going to Berkley and comes back to Japan every chance she got. This time, it was a little more permanent because Chiyo hired her as an intern for the next semester in the fashion department for the Satome line. (a/n: Sayuri and Chiyo use their maiden names for their fashion/ interior business)

* * *

"I knew I smelt trouble…" Sesshomaru muttered, as he entered the living room. Lili automatically ran over and gave Sesshomaru a hug.

"Aw! Come on! Admit it! You're really happy to see me!" Lili teased, hoping to get at least a smirk.

"Fine… I'm really happy to see you. Excuse me while I go jump for joy…" Sesshomaru said, finally getting out of Lili's death grip and went into the kitchen.

"Wow… still a kill joy?" Lili asked sarcastically.

"Only when you're around…"Sayuri said with a smile. "You're happy enough for everyone.

"Well you know… I try…" Lili said.

"Sae, are you really going to go in that?" Ryusei asked, pointing at Sayuri's oversize button up shirt. She better not, especially for what he had planned tonight.

"Good god no! I'm wearing this…" Sayuri quickly unbuttoned the shirt and revealed a cashmere halter, with a beaded skirt.

Sesshomaru just walked out at the time, only to turn around again to find a rag for his bleeding nose. (Yes Sesshomaru gets nose bleeds too…. Lol)

"What's with him?" Sayuri asked, making Lili and Ryusei laugh harder.

"Ok… Rin! Karei!"

"Yeah?" Rin replied.

"Remember, you two are on your own tonight. Remember the rules?"

"Let's see, keep Rei- chan from sugar…. Make sure she gets to bed on time, don't stay up too late, keep doors locked, don't invite any one in… I pretty much got it!"

"And don't forget to call if there's trouble." Sayuri said, kissing Rin on the forehead.

"No problem…"

"Oni-chan! Why can't I come!?" Karei said, while Ryusei carried her on his shoulders.

"Because… dad said so…" Ryusei said, handing her over to Sesshomaru.

"Please can I come? I'll be good!"

"Then who's going to make sure that Rin stays out of trouble?" Sesshomaru said.

"Fine I'll stay home…" Karei said glumly.

"Brighten up and smile sweetie… guess where we're going this weekend?" Sayuri said, bending down to look her daughter in the eye.

"Where?"

"To see grandma and grandpa in America…"

"Really!?"

"Yup… make sure you get to bed on time, kay?"

"Kay!" Karei said, hugging her mother.

"Ok… let go before we're late." Sesshomaru said, handing Sayuri her jacket.

"You two be good now!"

"We will…" Rin and Karei said, both crossing their fingers behind their backs.

"I saw that…" Sayuri said without even looking at the two.

When the adults were gone, Rin and Karei raced for the HD TV in the living room.

"If I beat you first thing in DDR, I stay up as long as I want!"

"We'll see Rei- Chan!"

* * *

"I wonder what Rin and Karei's up to…" Kagome said to Inuyasha.

"Rei- chan's probably kicking ass at DDR…." Inuyasha snickered, remembering his last attempt at trying to beat the six year old.

"Dad! Come on! You still have to play me!" Akane shouted from the living room, gripping her guitar controller for her Guitar Hero II game (a/n: A hell of a lot of fun!)

"I'm off…" Inuyasha said, leaving Kagome smirking in the kitchen.

_He still doesn't know…_

* * *

(A Few Hours Later)

"Rei… it's 8:30…" Rin groaned.

"Don't break the deal!" Karei said with an evil smirk.

Rin sighed. 500 rounds of DDR later and Karei was still kicking butt. Never challenge a six year old at video games. Ryusei better make sure Lili said yes for the hours of torment that she went through tonight.

Then a crash was heard upstairs. The alarm started to go off.

Karei stopped bouncing on the mat and stared with wide eyes at Rin.

"Karei, go hide…" Rin said. Karei made no hesitation and went to find a hiding spot.

Rin tried to find something to use as a weapon. The fire place poker was going to half to do. Rin gripped the poker tightly. Whoever it was, they were not going to hurt her or her sister. Rin held her breath as the alarm stopped and the stairs started to creek.

Then, a hand reached out from behind her, covering her mouth.

Karei watched in horror as her sister was taken down, but knew better than to make a single sound.

Rin, remembering her self defense lessons from Ryusei, tried the SING technique (remember Miss Congeniality? Lol) , elbowing his stomach, poking his eyes, slamming the bottom of her hand to his nose, and tries to kick his pride and joy, but only got punched in the gut before making her final move. All the air was knocked out of her and the man held her in a position where he could break her neck if he wanted to.

"Easy Hakudoshi…." A female voice said. A woman with short purple hair and blue eyes entered the room. She was six feet tall, and dressed all in black, with a bunch of gadgets connected to her belt.

"We only came for the little one…." She said, smiling at Rin, showing off her fangs.

"Where's the brat?" the man said, clutching Rin tighter, making her lose her breath.

"You better speak up, sweetie. He wouldn't mind snapping you in half."

Rin remained silent. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Karei was perfectly hidden behind the heater vent. The dragon demoness slapped Rin.

"Where is Tashio's heir!?" the woman shouted, now getting impatient.

"She…. She's not here!" Rin said, her cheek turning red from the impact.

The demoness glared to Rin. She started to toss the furniture aside, in an attempt to find Karei. Karei flinched as the furniture made the hard contact with the floor in landing.

"Tie the woman up, and help me find that little bitch…" the demoness said.

The man pulled out some nylon rope, and tied Rin's ankles and wrist. But he did it so tight that small amounts of blood were oozing out of the cuts.

"Rin… chan…" Karei whispered, but then covered her mouth. The demon's ear twitched. He walked over to the heater vent, stared at it for a minute, then tore it out of the wall.

Karei screamed as he pulled her out.

"I found her!" Hakudoshi said triaphently.

"No! Let me go!" Karei cried, trying to get out of his grasp.

"Then we came for all we needed." The demoness said.

"But Ryuka, what about the teenager?"

Ryuka glared at Rin, who was trying to tell them to stop passed the gag.

"How else is Tashio suppose to know that his daughter's been taken?" she said, as she headed towards the door, where the get away van was.

Hakudoshi, meanwhile, covered Karei's head with a black sack and bond her wrist together with the rope, care as to not injure her because of orders. He toss her on his shoulders and followed Ryuka.

"Rin- Chan!" Karei screamed, before the engine started and the van disappeared.

10 minutes later, the police arrived, but too late.

* * *

"This has been nice!" Lili said. "It's been a while since you took me to a five course restaurant, Ryu- chan!"

Ryusei turned red a little at the nickname that Lili gave him since third grade.

Sayuri and Sesshomaru couldn't help but smirk.

"It's just really nice to see you again…" Ryusei said, avoiding eye contact.

"So… I heard you're going to graduate soon." Sayrui said to Lili, changing the subject.

"Yup! Just do this internship with Chiyo- San, and I have all my credits to graduate!" Lili said with a smile.

"That's sounds like a good deal…" Sesshomaru said, never taking his eyes off of Ryusei. Ryusei was figiting with something in his pocket.

"Ryu- chan, is everything ok?" Lili asked, a little concern.

"Um… yeah…"

Sayuri and Sesshomaru leaned in a little closer, something was up.

"Quit figiting then!" Lili said cheerfully, while waving a hand at Ryusei.

"I… I just don't know how to ask you this…"

"Ask me what?"

Sayuri's eyes then narrowed in a knowing way. She got the idea what was going on. Lili didn't notice.

"You know that we've been friends for a really long time right?"

"Since preschool… why is that suddenly coming up?" Lili asked.

Ryusei then got up from his chair, got down on one knee and took Lili's hand in his. Lili finally placed the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Oh… my… god…."

"Lili, will you marry me?"

Sayuri and Sesshomaru lean in even closer. This was indeed an interesting night.

"yes!" Lili said, hugging Ryusei.

"So, that's what this big fancy thing is all about…" Sayuri said in a teasing manner, taking a sip of her wine. "And having the parents come with you totally altered all suspicions… why didn't your father think of that?"

Sesshomaru sighed.

"I kind of like the rain and the palm tree set up we had…"

Sesshomaru's cell phone suddenly vibrated. Sayuri glared at him.

"You promised…" she said.

"It's from home…" Sesshomaru said, as he excused himself from the table, and went into a separate room to answer the call.

* * *

"Hello?"

"Figures you would answer…" Inuyasha said.

"What do you want?" Sesshomaru asked a little impatiently. It was bad enough that Sayuri thought it was a business call.

"You're not going to like it…"

"I'll take my chances…"

* * *

"oh my! It's pretty!" Lili said, at the small diamond ring Ryusei placed on her finger.

"But I really like yours, Sayuri- san… it looks just like that lotus ring that Harry Winston released a few years ago."

Sayuri took a look at her wedding ring. The small lotus bloom of a diamond sparked in the light reflecting off it.

"Actually… it is the Harry Winston…"

"No way!"

"Yup… I'm too spoiled for my own good."

"sae…" Sesshomaru said, walking back to the table. "We have to go…"

"Go where?" Sayuri asked suspiciously.

"I think that Ryusei and Lili would like to be alone…" he said, emphazizting the think and alone.

Sayuri could tell that the tone of voice he used meant that something a really wrong.

"Ok…" she said getting up.

"You two behave now!" Sayuri said, putting on the happy demeanor.

Then she and Sesshomaru left.

Ryusei and Lili looked at each other blankly.

"Wait ten minutes then follow them?" Lili suggested.

"Sounds like a plan…" Ryusei said.

* * *

The police cars surrounded the Tashio home. Sayuri was now in a panicked state.

As soon as Sesshomaru placed the car into park, Sayuri bolted out of the car and into the house.

"Rin! Karei!" she shouted.

"Sae…. Calm down…" Sesshomaru said, pulling his wife close. The house was a wreck. Everything was turned upside down. Rin and Inuyasha were in the living room, while the officer was trying to talk to Rin while being constantly interrupted by other officers.

"Rin…"

Rin looked up to find her parents at the doorway. She jumped up from her seat and embraced Sesshomaru.

"Dad! I tried! I really did!" Rin sobbed.

"What happened?" Sayuri asked, afraid of the answer. " and where's your sister?"

"There… there was a crash upstairs…. And two demons came down. I tried to fight them off but… but…"

"It's ok Rin…" Sesshomaru said, smoothing out her hair.

"no it's not dad! It's my fault! Karei's gone!" Rin cried.

All color in Sayuri's face drained. Rin continued to cry into Sesshomaru's chest.

"Karei…" Sayuri said quietly. She suddenly bolted upstairs. Sesshomaru followed, leaving Rin with Inuyasha.

* * *

Sayuri kept on opening rooms. Her child couldn't have been kidnapped. She finally stopped in Karei's room. But the little girl was no where to be found.

"No!"

Sesshomaru ran to Sayuri's side and embraced her, while she cried.

_

* * *

_

_Hikaru-San: Did ya see that one coming… (Tapes shikonprincess15's mouth shut to prevent from answering) anyway… this sequel is turning out more exciting than the original story. A little weird… but who cares really? _

_Please read and review!_


	10. Investegation

_Hikaru- san: Sorry I didn't update in a while! Been busy, I was in Washington DC last week, which was totally fun, but the big bummer was the SIX HOUR FLIGHT! Oh well for the first half of it before I crash, I wrote the first half of this chapter. Yay Me! (claps hands super fast) anyway… I kind of left your favorite couple sad and gloomy, I mean, you'd be sad too if your little pride and joy was stolen… (sighs) anyway… shout out to Bert8813 for a lend! Thanks a bunch! Totally helps with the story! Anyway… I'll shut up and let you read…_

* * *

Kohaku continued to spin around in his chair, watching the big guys go out into the world of crime, bringing criminals to justice. It only made him more depressed. Here he was, recently graduated from the police academy, and he was working at a desk at the police station. That's what he gets for competing with the Youkai Elite (thanks for the lend Bert!) 

"Why so down in the dumps?"

A pretty black haired woman said, sitting on top of Kohaku's desk.

"One… you're on top of my files…" Kohaku said, pulling the papers from under her. "And two, I want to be out there… not here doing secretary work…"

"Hey! I like this secretary work…"

"Sorry Koharu…"

"But relax… you'll get your chance… they can't keep Taro Tayija's son behind the desk forever!"

Kohaku sighed.

"If only they'd let me go out sooner…"

"Taiyja!" A white tiger youkai called out.

"Matsuba- San!" Kohaku said, leaping out of his chair, and straighten up.

* * *

Sano Matsuba was the top dog (or rather cat) in the Youkai Elite, an exclusive force made for the toughest youkai on the force. Only one hanyo is known to make the force (now she currently owns a kick ass hair salon with her sister! .)

* * *

Sano threw a pair of keys to Kohaku, who caught them in mid air. 

"You're coming with me. Need some assistance on a big case…" Sano said, as he headed out the door.

When he was sure no one was looking, Kohaku did a fist pump in the air.

"Did I tell ya or did I tell ya?" Koharu said, rolling her eyes as she picked up the files that Kohaku was working on so she could finish them.

"Fine! You were right… I'll see you later…"

"Tell me all about it when you get home!"

* * *

"So… what's the big case?" Kohaku asked, getting into the car with Sano. Sano just threw some case files into Kohaku's lap. 

_Great… more paper work… _

"Kidnapping…" Sano simply said, taking off in the car down the road.

"A six year old inu- hanyou girl. Happened at least three hours ago. I think it also said she was an heiress…"

Kohaku didn't hear the last part. All his attention was on the photo of the little girl in pigtails with a cute smile.

Karei…

"That's why I wanted you on this case…" Sano continued, well aware about the sudden silence. "A friend's daughter?"

"My sister's best friend's niece…" Kohaku said quietly.

"Karei Tashio… wonder why someone would want to kidnap a little girl…"

"So, what exactly happened?"

"Let see… it's all in the file… the adopted daughter, Rin, and the kid were home alone, while the parents were out with the older son and his now fiancée. There was a break in, and poof… little girl gone, and Rin's all tied up, severe cuts and bruises where the rope was and where the wind was knocked out of her…"

Kohaku remembered Rin well. Though he was 5 years older than her, he still had that school boy crush on her, thought he didn't dare reveal it to anyone or else face Sesshomaru's wrath…

They finally reached the Tashio home. Most of the police cars that were there before were gone now, mostly because when they heard that the head of the Youkai Elite was coming in, it was the smartest idea to move on out of the way or be in the tiger youkai's warpath.

Sano parked the car.

"You ready?" he asked.

Kohaku took a deep breath.

"Let's go…" Kohaku said.

* * *

Sayuri looked up from her current project in the kitchen when she heard the doorbell. 

_Not more police men… _Sayuri thought to herself. _Or worse… the press…_

That was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

First, her oldest daughter was hysterical when she got home.

Next, her youngest turns out to be kidnapped. MIA in capital letters, if you will…

And finally, too many questions from officers that were trying to help, but really weren't.

Luckily, Sesshomaru sensed her distress and told her to go upstairs while he handled the police. Just now, she was able to go downstairs to make some green tea to calm her nerves.

Sayuri shrugged and went to answer the door.

"Kohaku!" Sayuri said in surprise.

Kohaku almost responded casually, but then remembered he had a higher ranking officer with him.

"Um…. Mrs. Tashio…"

Sayuri instantly got the mental message Kohaku sent her.

"I'm Officer Taiyja, and this is Special Agent Matsuba. We're here to investigate your daughter's disappearance…"

Sayuri nodded.

"Please… come in…" Sayuri said, letting them inside.

* * *

Rin was on her way downstairs when she saw Kohaku and the other officer enter the house. She stayed where she was and took a seat on the steps. 

Ryusei and Lili were in the living room with Sesshomaru, when Sayuri, Kohaku and Sano entered the room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Tashio…" Sano started.

"Yes?" Sayuri, Sesshomaru, and Rysei said at the same time.

"Uh… the other Mr. Tashio…"

"Oh right…" Ryusei said.

Sano cleared his throat, though it sounded more like a growl.

"I know you have been asked this millions of times, but would you mind to have us interrogate you again for the Youkai Elite records?"

"I really don't care…" Sayuri said quietly, her shoulders shaking. Sesshomaru wrapped his arm around her. "As long as I get my daughter back…"

* * *

Rin, who was eavesdropping from the stairs, felt a jab in her chest. Why couldn't have she fought harder to protect Karei? She would never forgive herself if anything worse happened to Karei. It made her sick to her stomach thinking about what's happening to Karei now. 

"Taiyja…." Sano suddenly said.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you talk to Rin, while I take care of things here?"

"Are you sure?"

"Just go…"

"Right…

Kohaku hurried out of the room before testing Sano's temper. The Tiger Youkai was well known through out the force to have a nasty temper.

_But I still think Sayuri's temper is worse…_

Kohaku suddenly stopped at the end of the stairs, to find Rin looking back at him…

* * *

"Ok! We did what you wanted us to! Now where's our payment!?" Ryuka shouted. 

"Here, take your money and leave. But the girl stays…" the man behind the desk said.

The dragon demoness took the sack thrown at her, and she and her partner took off.

Karei sat there quietly, bound to a chair, her feet dangling off the edge. She didn't dare make a sound. Her face was already streaked with tears, but she never cried out loud. She wasn't going to give her captors the pleasure to see her cry like that.

"So… you're her daughter?" the man said.

Karei remained silent.

"I'm an old friend of your mommy's."

"Mommy wouldn't be acquainted with a bad man like you…" Karei said in a very Sesshomaru- ish tone of voice. Her eyes narrowed in the same way too.

The man leaned forward on his desk, his face coming into the light.

"For a kid in this much trouble, you sure have a sharp tongue…" Kentaro said coldly.

* * *

"Ok… from what I see here on previous reports… the four of you were out…" 

"That's right… we were at my sister- in- law's restaurant." Sesshomaru said. (A/N: I don't think I said what Kagome did for a living in the other story, so I decided to make her a restaurant owner)

"Hm…. Mr. Tashio… do you know anybody that might want to get back at you for something?" Sano asked next.

Sesshomaru thought for a moment.

"_You're going to regret that… Sesshomaru…"_

Sayuri was thinking of the same thing.

"Naraku…" Sesshomaru said.

"As in… Onigumo Naraku?" Sano asked.

Sesshomaru nodded.

"I'll do a background check…" Sano said, walking out of the room to make a quick call on his phone for a check…

* * *

"Rin…" Kohaku said. 

Rin forced a pained smile on her face.

"Oh… hi Kohaku…." Rin said, her voice slightly shaking. "Wh… what brings you here?"

Kohaku felt himself turn red a little. Damn it… he still liked her…

"Uh…. Police business…"

"Oh…"

Rin gestured him to come upstairs with her. Kohaku hesitated a little, but followed.

"So… um… how have you been?" Kohaku asked.

_DARN IT! That was a stupid question! _

"Fine…" Rin said absent mindedly.

Kohaku thought for a moment about what to say next. Damn the school boy crush. But Rin spoke first…

"You need my story for the investigation, don't you?"

"Wha…?"

Rin sat down on the couch in her bedroom.

_Oh great! Alone in her room! This won't look good! _

"Karei and I were just in the living room playing video games…" Rin started saying. Kohaku took a seat next to her.

"… and them we heard a crash upstairs… I told Karei to hide, so she decided to go behind the heater vent. When I heard someone come down the stairs, I grabbed the fire poker to use as a weapon. But…then they caught me from behind…"

Then… Rin started to cry.

"I tried to fight him off… I did… but they still got Karei…"

Kohaku moved his arm to hug Rin, but she collapsed in his lap.

"If I just fought harder…. Then Karei would have been alright! I could have saved her! But… but…"

"just be quiet Rin…" Kohaku said. "It'll be alright. It wasn't your fault. I'll find your sister. I promise. So just…. Just don't blame yourself anymore…."

Rin and Kohaku stayed as they were for a while, until Kohaku heard Sano call for him.

"Thanks… Kohaku…" Rin said, after she calmed down a little. Kohaku looked at Rin as he was nearing the door.

"You're a really good friend…"

Kohaku gave Rin a small smile.

"Just do one thing for me. Keep smiling. Your mom's gonna need it."

"Ok…"

* * *

_Hikaru- San: Hm… that took longer than I thought… so anyway… as usual… Thanks for the help Shikon!!!!! Please read and review!!!!! _


	11. Changes and Re instatment

_Hikaru- san: OMG! I have no idea how much to thank Bert8813! Thanks a lot! (Yes… since I can't think of anything original at the moment, I borrowed, yet, an already used character or two… this authoress is forever in debut, in real life and in the fan fic world…)_

_So that's my shout outs. _

_I own no character or product or music used in this story (Except Sayuri, Karei, Chiyo, Ryusei, Lili, and the entire Satome clan) anyway! On with the story. _

_

* * *

_

"Oh! Inari! Turn it up! That's my song!" said a tall woman around 5,8 caramel complexion with long dark brown hair pulled behind her elf ears that stopped mid back. She was dressed in a white spaghetti strap shirt with matching blue jean jacket and capris.

The other woman in the room rolled her eyes and turned the XM radio up. She looked a lot like her sister, only her face was rounder, was slightly pear-shaped, and she was thirty pounds heavier. She had eyes that faded from brown to green. They both had the same elf ears and dark brown hair, only her's stopped just above her breast, parted to the left side. Nakamura Akiya started to move her hips to the beat of the music. It was just another day at Top Choice Hair Salon. A really slow day at that…

* * *

_I lose all control when I see you  
Standing there in front of me  
Your style, your clothes, your hair  
You fair woman, you look so sexy  
De way you wine and, de way you dance  
And de way that you twist and turn your waist  
Leaves me wanting, leaves me yearning  
Leaves me feelin for a taste_

* * *

"_Before the end of the night  
I wanna hold you so tight  
You know I want you so much  
And I'm so tempted to touch  
Tempted to touch, tempted to touch  
Little woman, man I need you so much  
Tempted to touch, tempted to touch  
Little woman, man I'm inside your clutch…" _

Akiya and her sister Inari started to sing. Yura, one of the other stylists at the Salon, rolled her eyes, as she continued to work on her client.

"Do they always do that?" Jakotsu asked.

"Only when the really good songs come on…" Yura replied with a smile.

Akiya sat down in her chair, causing it to spin a little.

"I can't help it. It's really boring right now…" she said with a yawn.

"Oh Kiya- chan, I hope you don't mind, but I have a friend of mine coming in!" Jakotsu suddenly said, leaning up in his chair.

"Put your head down! How in the hell am I suppose to finish conditioning!?" Yura practically shouted, jamming his head back down.

Akiya and Inari couldn't help but laugh at Yura's antics.

"And who, may I ask, is it?"

"(Blub)…yu… (blub blub)" Jakotsu said.

"Quit trying to drown him Yura and let the man talk!" Inari said annoyed.

"Sorry! I'm just trying to do my job…" Yura said, finally finish rinsing Jakotsu off.

"As I was saying… Sayuri…is coming in. She needs a little cheer up session…" Jakotsu said. All three women leaned in, full alert.

"What happened?" Inari asked.

Jakotsu gave them a serious look.

"You three are sworn to secrecy! The press hasn't even heard about it! So no one else is to know. And I'm surprised you don't know about it yet, Akiya, as you are Sesshomaru's best friend."

"Oh just get on with it already!" Yura said.

"Well, you know Karei?"

"WHAT HAPPENED!?" Akiya shouted, getting annoyed.

"She was kidnapped a few days ago…"

"No…"

"Yea… Remember you didn't hear it from me, and not allowed to tell anyone else!" Jakotsu said, leaning back into his chair.

Akiya thought for a moment. Why didn't Sesshomaru mentioned anything about that to her?

But on the other hand… she did just get back from New York the night before. Plus, she only saw Karei when her mother went to get her hair done, or when she was invited over.

_Wonder how he's doing… _

"… Earth to Akiya…"

"Huh?"

"I was just telling y'all about the big news on Chiyo…" Jakotsu said.

"What now?"

"She's gonna be a mommy!"

"WHAT!?"

* * *

Sayuri turned off the engine to the BMW. Rin tapped her on the shoulder. 

"Are you sure you're going to be ok mom?" Rin asked. After the visit from Kohaku, she's been trying to cheer Sayuri up. So far, all she got was a small half smile.

"I'll be fine…" Sayuri said weakly. "I just need to get my mind off a few things…"

"Then a visit to Aunt Akiya is just the thing you need!" Rin said happily.

Akiya was probably the only other woman in Sesshomaru's life that didn't hate Rin, though she and Sesshomaru were just friends. They dated a little in high school, but it didn't work out. But they remained very close friends. Akiya couldn't make the wedding, but did run into the couple on their Italian honeymoon. That's how she met Sayuri.

Sayuri sighed. It seemed like forever since she heard Karei's voice, though it's only been three days. She and Rin got out of the car and went into the building.

* * *

"Guurrlls, let me tell you about my date last night. Y'all know Muso, right?" Jakotsu babbled. 

Sayuri placed a finger over her lips, telling Rin to keep quiet as they snuck in without anyone noticing.

"Yeah." The three stylists said again in unison.

"Well, he took me to that new club Tick Tock and guess what happened?"

"What?" Inari screamed, annoyed that he was not getting to the point.

"Some heifer tried to push up on him!" he said, crossing his legs in the leather chair.

"You playin'?"

"No girl, so I slapped him and sent his ass runnin!" snapping his fingers from side to side, making all of the women in the salon burst into laughter.

"I would do the same thing if it were Mike." Inari responded briefly.

"Sis, I think Mike would be too scared to look at anyone else." Akiya chimed in.

"Damn straight, I'll gut him like a fish!" flexing her manicured claws, making everyone laugh again.

"Damn, I'd hate to be your man." Jakotsu said, taking a sip of his bottled water.

"Bitch, I don't consider you a man. I've seen you walk in heels."

"I'm the one who taught you."

"A skill I cherish to this day." making a curtsy.

Sayuri broke at that point. She started laughing.

"And who did you think taught him!?" Sayuri said in between laughs.

Rin smiled. It was the first time in three days since she saw her step- mother like that.

"Aw Sae! How can I forget you?" Jakotsu asked, pretending to start crying. "By the way, nice to hear you laugh…"

Sayuri finally calmed down enough and lightly smiled.

"You have no idea how much I needed that…" she said.

"Well, well, Sayuri! It's been a while!" Akiya said, hugging Sayuri.

"Yes… it has…"

"And how are you doing?"

Sayuri immediately send cold daggers at Jakotsu.

"Uh… um… well… I thought Akiya had the right to know…" Jakotsu said meekly.

Sayuri sighed.

"I could be better…" Sayuri admitted.

Akiya looked over Sayuri's shoulder.

"Hey Rin, I didn't see you there." Akiya said, looking over at the teenager.

"Aw… Aunt Akiya, I'm hurt…" Rin said, placing a hand over her heart.

"Sorry!"

Sayuri took a seat in Akiya's chair.

"Hm… so… what should we do with you today?" Akiya asked, playing around with Sayuri long hair.

_How does she keep it so soft? _

"I don't know. I kinda drift in and out lately…" Sayuri said.

"You know, Akiya, Inari, Yura…" Jakotsu said, getting out of Yura's chair, as his hair was finished. "I think someone needs a change…"

Yura smirked evilly.

"Like what kind of change?" she asked, helping the others circle Sayuri. Sayuri looked around nervously.

"Like this hair… when was the last time anyone walked around with this long of hair?"

"I'd say… the Heian period…" Inari said, joining in with the evil looks.

"What are you trying to say!?" Sayuri said, beginning to panic.

"You're over due for a new look!" Yura explained.

"But I like my hair like this…"

"But you'd like it more if you had bangs." Akiya chimed in.

"And if you cut off a foot or two!" Inari added.

"I am not cutting off that much!"

Akiya spun the chair so Sayuri was facing the mirror.

"Just trust me on this one…" she whispered into Sayuri's ear.

"Oh fine… I give…" Sayuri said defeated.

* * *

Nakamura Akil paced around the office, trying to figure out how to deliver the recent news to his younger sister, Akiya, who was currently a retired member of the youkai elite, not to mention the only hanyo. 

Akil was a tall, well built neko- youkai with a light caramel complexion. His hair was cream colored with a brown streak going down the middle, stopping past his butt. At the moment, his white button up dress shirt had its sleeves rolled up and his black tie loosened just for his day at the desk.

It was rather unusual that Akil had trouble to figure out what to say, as he was the kind of person that knew his actions well. But he's been given an important task. His partner and close friend, Matsuba Sano, has requested that Akiya to be taken out of retirement and brought in for the Tashio case. It was his theory that if there were people that we're close to the girl working on the case, then there would be better results in finding her.

But Akiya had just got off the phone with him the day before, babbling on about how it was great to see their parents and all the leisure time she had since retiring. And Akiya was one of the best to qualify, one, being one of the best agents in the Youkai Elite, two, she's a very close friend of the Tashios, and three, there was no one better…

"Ok… it's now or never…" he finally said, as he picked up the phone…

* * *

"Inari! I'm going with Sayuri and Rin!" Akiya called into the shop, while Sayuri and Rin waited in the car. 

"Fine…. Leave the entire inventory to me…" Inari said, pretending to be annoyed.

Akiya rolled her eyes and got into Sayuri's BMW.

"Will you quit touching it! You'll wear out the curls!" Akiya said from the back seat, slapping Sayuri's hand away.

"But… don't you think it's a bit much?" Sayuri asked nervously.

"Mom, it looks good!" Rin said encouragingly.

_At least she's worried over something else for a while… _

"So… talked to Chiyo recently?" Akiya asked.

"Yup… I can't wait! I'm going to be a real aunt for once!" Sayuri replied.

"Don't forget Aunt Kagome!" Rin added.

Akiya gasped.

"She's pregnant too!?"

"Just called me yesterday to re- do an extra room they have…" Sayuri said. "I know she just asked me because, one, she knows I'd do it and give her a major discount, two…" Sayuri paused. "To help me get my mind off of a few things…"

Rin and Akiya looked at each other. Sayuri was on a roll to being close to her cheerful self, but then the subject of Karei being missing came back up. It seems like the little girl affected everybody.

Sayuri suddenly sighed and gave a small smile.

"I really shouldn't worry about her too much should I?" she suddenly asked.

Akiya and Rin didn't know how to respond.

"Last time I was worried about something this much, I almost hurt myself. But I can't let that happen again. Just gotta try and stay cheerful. I know Rei's a smart girl. She'll be fine. She gets it from Sesshomaru…"

Rin and Akiya sighed in relief. At least Sayuri was aware of how she was behaving. But what mother wouldn't be worried about her child that much.

"But… do you really think Sessh will like it?" Sayuri asked, changing the subject back to her hair.

Rin and Akiya laughed.

* * *

Sesshomaru sat quietly at his desk at home. So far, nothing was found on Karei. On top of that, he was getting worried about Sayuri. He remembered what Sayuri said about what happened when she got emotionally disturbed… 

"…

"I told you to stop doing that!" a voice rang out.

Akiya?

"I can't help it! It's still new to me!" Sayuri's voice whined.

"But its fine the way it is!" Rin said.

"What's going on?" Sesshomaru said, as he entered the living room, only to stop dead when he saw Sayuri.

All of her long hair was chopped off. Now it reached a little passed her shoulders. She also got bangs and it framed her face quite nicely. The ends of her hair were curled inward to add to the framing effect. Sayuri ran a hand through her hair.

"So… do you like it?" Sayuri asked, a little nervous. She liked the fact that her head felt lighted, but it was a sudden change.

The small smile that Sesshomaru gave her was reassuring enough.

"It looks really good on you, Sae…" he said, pulling his wife in for a kiss.

"See Rin… he get's turned on by the new look and we're completely out of the picture…" Akiya said, shaking her head. Rin nodded in agreement.

"I thought I told you to mind your own damn business. Didn't curiosity kill the cat?" Sesshomaru snapped at Akiya.

"But satisfaction brought her back." Akiya replied with one of her world famous smiled. She reached over and patted Sayuri on the head.

"God, I am good…"

Suddenly, her cell phone began to ring.

"Who in the hell…? Excuse me!" Akiya said, as she went out back to take the call.

"I'm going to go and take a bath…" Sayuri said.

"Ok…" Sesshomaru and Rin replied.

As soon as Sayuri was up the stairs, Sesshomaru and Rin crashed on the couch.

"So… how was the cheer up attempt?" Sesshomaru asked.

"It went pretty well…" Rin replied. "Jakotsu was there too. It was his idea that mom got a makeover. Inari and Yura, whose one of the stylists, pretty much had to hold mom down, while Aunt Akiya cut her hair. Mom didn't like the idea of losing all that hair."

_But she looks so damn hot now! _Sesshomaru thought to himself.

"Wonder what's taking Akiya so long?"

* * *

"They want me back?" Akiya asked. 

"I know you like being retired… but they really need you on this one sis…" Akil said on the other side.

"But…"

"Think about how much it's going to mean to Sessh and Sayuri. I mean… it is their daughter we're dealing with…"

Akiya sighed. She didn't plan to go back to the elite, ever. But yet, what Akil said was true. She was the best one suited for the mission at hand. She sighed.

"If… if that's what it's going to take to find Karei… then fine… I'll come back…"

"Thanks sis… Sano will really appreciate it."

"I know… just on one condition…"

"What?"

"That Kohaku and I are to be the ones first notified if anything comes up…"

"I try to get that pass Sano, but you know how he is…"

"Just try…"

"I'll see you back at the agency…"

"Bye, Akil…"

Akiya hung up the phone. At first, she was happy to hear from 'Buddha', her older brother. But after he said that the Elite wanted to re- instate her, she was surprised. But if it was only for the hunt for Karei, then she was going to do her best friend a favor and help find his daughter.

_

* * *

_

_Hikaru- san: Ok… I'm out of ideas for now… _

_So if you have any ideas about where to take this story, let me know. _

_Oh yea… and Bert… I hope I kept your characters in… well, character… well enough… thanks again for the lend. _

_So people, please read and review!!!!_


	12. Back Again

Karei sat there, tapping her clawed hands on the table. The snake youkai that was assigned to keep an eye on her was starting to get annoyed.

Karei noticed a vein bobbing on his forehead.

_Maybe just a bit more… _Karei thought to herself.

"Is it time yet?" she asked again.

"No…" the snake youkai snapped.

"Is it time yet?"

"No…"

"Is it time yet? Is it time yet? Is it time yet? Is it…"

"No…No…No…NO…"

Suddenly, the snake youkai drew the knife from its sheath and aimed for Karei's hand.

Karei looked on with wide eyes.

"God Blimey! Perfect aim mate!" she said with a British accent that she often caught her mother using when speaking to her grandfather in English.

"What do you mean?" the snake youkai asked, narrowing his slit eyes. "I missed…"

Karei's eyes went bigger as she took a look where the knife landed. It was right in the gap between her index and middle finger.

"Wow…" was all she said.

"Lee! How many times do I have to tell you! Don't harm the girl!" Ryuka shouted, as she made her way down the steps into the small room.

"She started it…" he muttered, pointing at Karei. Karei narrowed her golden eyes.

"I did not." She said.

Ryuka harshly grabbed Karei's chin.

"Don't test us, sweetheart." Ryuka said sickly sweet. "We can kill you, you know…"

"No you wouldn't…" Karei said, putting together every last ounce of courage that she had. "I don't think your boss would like that very much…"

Ryuka gave Karei an angry look, but she released her.

"Just wait… my little puppy… when I get the chance… I'll teach you a lesson for having such a sharp tongue."

"Can't wait…" Karei said, giving Ryuka a very Sesshomaru- ish look.

Ryuka stormed out of the small room. Lee started to laugh.

"Kid, you're way over your head with her!" he hissed.

Karei just gave him a look.

"I gotta go to the bathroom…" Karei said, making the laughter stop immediately.

* * *

Akiya opened the door to the apartment she lived in. As soon as she took off her shoes and placed down her bag, a small set of arms wrapped around her neck. 

"Mommy!" a little girl with silver hair covering her head, along with a set of dog ears and two pink stripes on each cheek and wrist. She wore a light blue sundress, with house slippers to match.

"Hi Michiko…" Akiya said smiling, hugging her 4 year old daughter back.

"Daddy! Mommy's home!" Michiko shouted, running to the back into the house.

"I know, I know… Chiko… clam down…" a dog hanyo said, trying to calm down the little girl, while holding a baby boy in his other arm.

Akiya smiled at the little scene. Little Yukio started to wiggle when he saw his mother.

Unlike Michiko, Yukio had elf ears and red stripes on his smooth cheeks and wrist.

"Kids a little feisty today, Soichiro?" Akiya asked her mate.

"Just a little…" he replied with a smile.

* * *

Otonashi Soichiro was an inu hanyo with shoulder length silvery hair, golden eyes, and one red strip on each wrist, from Kyoto, who moved to Tokyo the same year Akiya passed her entrance exam into the Elite. The two met at one of the local bars where elite members were most likely to be found, him to find a relative, her just hanging out with the guys. 

A year later, Akiya and Soichiro felt a strong enough connection that lead to a memorable night. That was the year that Akiya retired from the Elite, moved in with Soichiro, and gave birth to Michiko.

After Yukio was born, Akiya and Soichiro talked about getting married soon. But, since Akil called to bring her back into the Elite, things have to be placed on hold for the moment.

* * *

Soichiro noticed the glum look in Akiya's eyes. 

"Ki… is something wrong?" he asked.

"We'll talk later…" Akiya replied quickly, while being dragged away by Michiko to show her her latest crayon drawing of the day.

* * *

"Akiya's been re- instated?" Sayuri asked. 

"That's right. Akil just called her while you were upstairs and told her." Sesshomaru replied.

The two were sitting alone in the living room. Rin was upstairs talking to Kaulani online.

Sayuri sighed.

"At least… they're putting on people that Karei knows on it…" she said, snuggling closer to her mate. "I think she would have taken the 'don't interact with strangers' thing a little too seriously if just other people went to save her…"

Sesshomaru shook the mental picture of that out of his head. He gave Sayuri's shoulders a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry…" He said, as soon as he sniffed out the incoming tears from Sayuri. "We'll get her back…"

"I hope so. If anything happens to her…"

"I don't think Kohaku or Akiya's going to let anything happen to her…"

"I… know…." Sayuri said, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Akiya walked into the Youkai Elite building in downtown Tokyo the next day. 

"Lieutenant Nakamura!" one of the fellow elite officers stammered, as Akiya walked through the hallway, into the board room.

She decided to go with the black dress slacks, matching coat, and a creamy colored dress shirt, with gold earrings and necklace. Nothing too flashy. Her hair was currently cascading down behind her. She picked at the hair tie around her wrist that was going to pull her hair up later. She finally reached her destination, slid her access card into the card scanner, and entered the room.

"… So far, the only thing we have against Onigumo is that he's been bribing public officials from shutting his company down. Other than that, we got nothing. No motive to take the girl…" Sano said, as he continued his brief with the other Elite members working on the disappearance. Kohaku stood in the corner, taking notes. He was there as a representative of the Tokyo Police Department. Akiya cleared her throat. All attention turned to her.

"Gentlemen, this is Lieutenant Nakamura Akiya. She has just recently been taken out of retirement and she will also be in charge of this investigation." Sano said, introducing her to the rest of the group.

"Thank you, Matsuba- San… would you care to explain again, why that man…" Akiya said, pointing at the projection. "… Is on the suspect list?"

"That's Onigumo Naraku…" Sano said. "A day before the kidnapping, Mr. Tashio said that Onigumo stopped by his office, asking about a merger. He refused. That's a potential motive. However, the day after the kidnapping, Onigumo finally found that merger with a Ritoki Kentaro, CEO of Kansei corp.…"

"I want a check done on Ritoki." Akiya immediately said. She recognized him as Sayuri's ex- fiancée. "I have a feeling that the two are connected somehow. Now it's our job to find out what."

"You heard Nakamura…" Sano said. "Meeting adjourn."

* * *

As Akiya walked out of the board room, Sano, Akil, and Kohaku went after Akiya. 

"Sis… what are you thinking of?" Akil asked.

"Right now, it's a theory… but I think that Naraku and Kentaro joined forces, due to their companies merger. Naraku is following the alibi that he and Kentaro were out that night, making the final arrangements of the deal to go through. But that's a little off, considering that earlier that day Naraku went and placed the deal on the table for Sesshomaru."

"But… he and Ritoki could have been in negotiations about their merger beforehand." Sano said.

"I highly doubt that." Akiya said.

"Why?" Akil asked.

Kohaku instantly had a brain flash.

"Because Onigumo inc. and Kansei corp. aren't in the same league." He said.

"Exactly…" Akiya said. "Onigumo Inc. is a stock business, while Kansei Corp. is a computer company, like Tashio Corp.…"

"That's makes a little more sense…" Sano said. "But why merge the companies?"

"Believe it or not… the head of Kansei Company also has a connection to the Tashios." Akiya said, finally reaching her old office.

"Which is?"

"Ritoki Kentaro was once engaged to Tashio Sayuri." Akiya replied, taking a seat in her chair.

The three men stood there surprised. It was surprising how quickly Akiya was throwing things out the window that made a whole lot of sense.

"His motive for his part of the scheme was to get back at Sayuri…"

"I remember my sister mentioning something about how he tried to get Sayuri back when she and Sesshomaru were still dating." Kohaku said.

"But… enlighten me on this relationship…' Sano said, raising a hand.

"Why exactly did Ritoki and Tashio- san break the engagement?"

"Because… Sano- san… Ritoki couldn't resist the call of the wild. She caught him with one of her friends the day before the wedding." Akiya replied.

Sano nodded.

"Thank you, Nakamura. We got extra information. Now I'll run that check on Ritoki for you…"

* * *

Sano left the office. Akil went and closed the door. 

"Are you sure you're not basing it on your grudge against Naraku?" Akil asked, placing his hand on Akiya's desk.

"Honestly… a little bit…" Akiya said, staring out the window.

"How do you know him, Akiya- san?" Kohaku asked, making his presence known in the room.

Akiya turned towards Kohaku.

"Naraku and I were dating back when I was still training to join the Elite. He was also trying to join. But he failed. He got insanely jealous when I made the cut. Since things got abusive after a while, I broke up with him. The rest is history."

"I still can't believe you went out with that scumbag…" Akil said, clenching his fist. Akiya cleared her throat to gain his attention back.

"But on the other hand…" she said, looking both men directly in the eye. "Naraku and Kentaro is our best bet as to who kidnapped Karei. They may have not done it personally, but I'm pretty sure that Naraku has connections to youkai that would do his bidding, with the right amount of cash. I should know. After living with him for an odd number of years, I know how Naraku's mind works. We already figured out the who, but now we just need to find out the where.

'Akil, Kohaku, you guys are the only ones that I can trust with this, other than Sano. Kohaku, when you get back to the police station, report what went on in the board meeting, not the extra information that was recently discussed here in my office. Sorry, but the Police Force has been known to screw things up to the situation being beyond repair, so let's leave them in the dark for a few things."

"Right, Akiya- san…" Kohaku replied.

"Akil, you and I are going to go down to forensics and find out more about what was found at the scene."

"Then let's go already. I barely have time to waste." Akil said, as he started to head out the door. Kohaku went after him, followed by Akiya.

She was dead sure that Naraku and Kentaro were behind it all, but all she lacked for the moment, was evidence and proof. And that's what she was going to get to work on…

_

* * *

_

_Hikaru- San: Oh… things are getting interesting. Don't you just love those people that always have their gears going? _

_Any who… read and review por favor! _


	13. The Sea?

Akiya rubbed her temples as she looked up briefly from the samples laid out before her and Akil down in forensics.

So, all they had were a few hair samples, a blood sample from the carpet, which was Rin's blood, and a few splinters from some of the furniture.

"This was all that was recovered from the scene, Nakamura- san…" the blonde human said, getting the rest of her files together. "We still have to finish some test on the hair samples…"

"Wait a minute…" Akil said, placing latex gloves on. Akiya did the same. She suspected that Akil saw something in the samples. Her eyesight wasn't as good as his, but she trusted his intake on details. Akil took a pair of tweezers and separated a few of the hair samples. Akiya noticed that the strands were darker.

"Test these ones…" Akil said. "They have a different scent that the others. It's defiantly not one of the Tashios…"

"Hai… Nakamura- san…" the forensic scientist said, as she placed the samples on a sampling tray and went inside the lab.

"Can you smell it too Akiya?" Akil asked.

"Its smells like dragon. But it's not Ryusei's scent…" Akiya replied. "There's also a hint of the sea along with it."

"That narrows the location down if you ask me..."

"I agree. They're hiding her somewhere along the coast. If it's in Okinawa, then we got some issues there."

"Too many civilians?"

"Yeah… though that would probably be a good place to hide, since they would probably figure out that we wouldn't want to hurt any civilians."

"I'll go call the branch in Okinawa to keep on the alert…."

"Not yet. We still need the results from the hair samples. That way, we can narrow down the list of suspects…"

"What ever you say Akiya…"

Then, Akiya's phone started to ring.

"Hold on…" Akiya said, as she walked out of the examination room to take the call.

* * *

"Akiya… something's going on that the police doesn't want the Elite to know…" Kohaku said over the phone. 

"Yeah?"

"They already got a list of Youkai Mercenaries that could have been hired to steal Karei. So far, they have the Samyosho on the top of their list…."

Akiya thought for a moment. She only came in contact with them once on a mission. She never forgot the look of the female dragon youkai that almost made her miscarry Michiko.

"I have a feeling that they're going to do something stupid, like break into an old hideout of theirs…"

"Try to keep them from that Kohaku…" Akiya said. "They always booby trap their hideouts. Anyway, come down here when you get off your shift there. I think I might have a new lead."

"Right, Akiya…"

"See ya then…"

* * *

Akiya hung up her cell phone. When she walked back into the examination room, the forensic scientist just came back with the results. 

"Though there are signs of repeated dying, this is defiantly a match to a Ryukotsei, Ryuka, the ring leader of the Samyosho Mercenary Squad…."

"I'm pretty familiar with them…" Akiya said, her eyes narrowing. "They wouldn't go anywhere near Okinawa, as their home base is Tokyo. So it's safe to assume that Karei wasn't taken out of town."

"Akiya, this is bad. The Samyosho are one of the most dangerous gangs in Tokyo. They wouldn't hesitate to hurt a little girl…" Akil said, after gathering the results from the scientist.

"I know…" Akiya replied, trying to hide the worry in her voice.

She didn't know where to look along the coast, but she knew she had to think fast, before anything bad happens.

* * *

Karei took another sniff. She could smell the ocean from the window. 

"Get away from there!" the dragon lady shouted, pulling Karei away.

Ryuka pushed Karei back down in her chair. She then turned to Hakudoshi.

"GO out and keep watch. Channel your youki to me if you see anything out of the ordinary." Ryuka said.

"Right…" Hakudoshi replied, as he exited the room.

_Channeling youki? _Karei thought to herself. She remembered her father trying to teach it to her one day on one of their trips to Hawaii.

* * *

'_If you ever get lost and you can't remember where you were, stay where you are, think really hard, and focus your youki on the person you had in mind. That way, I'll find you…' _

* * *

An idea came into Karei's head. She figured that her parents wouldn't be able to get passed the guards. Well, maybe her dad, but the odds of that were slim. Then she thought about her Aunt Akiya (they're not related mind you). She was part of a group that mastered major butt whooping. 

But Karei decided that now wasn't a good time to try the channeling trick, especially with the dragon lady nearby.

"Ok, puppy…" Ryuka sneered, as she pulled Karei back to her feet. "The boss would like a little chat with you. Be respectfully and don't speak unless spoken to…"

Ryuka dragged Karei down the corridor and the two entered the room.

* * *

Kentaro and Naraku looked up from the documents they were looking at. 

"Here she is…" Ryuka said, pushing Karei forward. Karei placed her arms in front of her, to prevent the fall from hurting her.

"Ryuka, I told you to treat the girl with respect…" Kentaro said, narrowing his eyes at the dragon demoness.

"Forgive me, Ritoki- san…" Ryuka said, and then she exited out of the room, only to be standing guard outside.

"So… Miss Tashio…" Naraku started "How are you enjoying your stay with us?"

Karei remained silent. She still had the chills she got from when she first saw Naraku.

"Weren't you wondering why you were taken away from your family?" Kentaro asked.

Karei still wouldn't reply back. She only glared back at them.

"I told you that the kid was stubborn…" Kentaro said to Naraku.

"Relax, Kentaro- san…" Naraku said calmly. "She'll come around…"

Naraku reached over and cupped Karei's chin.

"She looks a lot like her father, doesn't she?" Naraku commented.

Kentaro huffed.

"But she acts like her mother…"

Naraku looked over at his partner in crime.

"You're still pinning after the wench?"

"Don't call my mom names…" Karei blurted out.

Naraku gave Karei a look.

"See? I told you she'd come around…"

"What do you want with me?" Karei asked, hoping to get some answers.

Naraku looked the little girl straight in the eye.

"Your daddy's business…" Naraku replied.

"If he or your mommy wants to see you alive again, he has to agree to join our companies together…"

"Why are you bothering trying to explain business to a child?" Kentaro asked, annoyed.

"She's not so simple minded, Kentaro- san. She understands… right?" Naraku said, looking back at Karei.

"Humph… well, I just hope that this is a good blow at Sayuri for putting me through hell…" Kentaro said.

"Watch your language. There's a lady present…"

Karei's gears were once again in motion. So far, she found out that she was being used as leverage for a merger with her father's company, and that the Kentaro guy wanted to hurt her mother.

"I think that's all the time we have, my dear…" Naraku said. He snapped his fingers, and Ryuka entered the room, taking Karei back to her prison.

* * *

Kagome entered the house. Sayuri was in the room where the new baby's going to be, already talking to a few of her people about what could be done. Akane walked up behind Kagome and tugged at the end of her skirt. 

"Is Auntie Sayuri going to be ok?" Akane asked.

"Hm?"

"She doesn't act like it, but I can sniff out that's she really sad…"

Kagome sighed and wrapped an arm around her daughter.

"I hope so Akane…" she replied.

Akane hugged her mother back.

"I miss Karei…" she said. "It's boring without her…"

* * *

"… and I think here…" Sayuri said, pointing at a corner "would be a good spot for the crib…" 

"Made of what, Tashio- san?" one of her assistants asked.

"Let me think… since the walls are going to be sky blue with white clouds blending in… I'd say oak wood furniture should be in order…."

"I agree…" the others said.

"That'll be all for today…" Sayuri said, ushering everyone out of the room.

Kagome and Akane stood back, as the entourage of people exited their home. Only Sayuri stayed behind. She went over to Kagome and Akane, while rubbing Akane's dog ears.

"Sae…" Kagome started to say.

"I'm fine…" Sayuri replied. "Really…"

"It's ok to cry you know…" Kagome said, gesturing Sayuri to sit with her on the couch.

"Why should I?" Sayuri asked, taking a seat. "I should be happy. I mean, I got a niece or nephew on the way…"

"Auntie Sayuri…" Akane said, squeezing in between the two women. "Is Rei- chan going to be home soon?"

That last question stung Sayuri.

"I… don't know, sweetie…" Sayuri said, her voice breaking a little.

Kagome pulled Sayuri in for a hug. Sayuri slowly started to cry… again…

"It's ok, Sae…" Kagome said gently. "We'll get through this…"

Akane felt bad for asking the question, so she hugged her aunt from behind.

* * *

"So… nothing yet?" Miroku asked, drinking another beer. 

"No sign. No clue… nothing…" Sesshomaru replied, staring back into space.

"Must be hard on you guys…" Inuyasha commented. "Especially Sae…"

"What do you…"

"I had to look at her medical records when Karei was born. I know about her being hospitalized for depression…"

"Sayuri was hospitalized once?" Ryusei piped in.

"Once… and I'm doing all I can to make sure she doesn't relapse…" Sesshomaru said, getting a little defensive.

"Well, the girls are helping out when they can. The key thing is to keep her busy right? Keep her mind off things?" Miroku asked.

"That's why I'm a little happy that Kagome's pregnant again. Now all Sae can talk about is what she doing to that damn room."

"You don't even have it that bad!" Inuyasha snapped. "You're not living with the crazed pregnant woman…"

"OK You two!" Sango's voice boomed through the room, with 11 year olds Mika and Sano walking into the apartment one by one, with their heads down.

"I can't believe you two would do that! That was an important client to your dad's firm! Sano, No TV, video games, IMing, surfing the net, skateboarding, going out on the weekends. Mika, no reading for fun…" Sango went on, marching the twins to their room.

"I hope I never have twins…" Ryusei muttered. Miroku looked shocked.

"What did those two do now?"

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk.

_

* * *

_

_Hikaru- San: Yup decided to update again! Getting more interesting, nee?_

_Recap!_

_Sano and Mika are the twin children of Sango and Miroku…_

_So ya! Please read and review! _


	14. The Final Piece to the Puzzle

_Hikaru-San: (Runs from impatient fans) YIKES! You people sure are impatient… lol… _

_Oh well… just shows that I'm loved! _

_Any who… here we go!_

_

* * *

_

'**Gomen ne sunao janakute**

**Yume no naka nara ieru**

**Shikou kairo wa shooto sunzen**

**Ima sugu aitai yo**

**Nakitaku naru you na moonlight**

**Denwa mo dekinai midnight**

**Datte junjou doushiyou **

**Haati wa mangekyou**

**Tsuki no hikari ni michibikare**

**Nando mo meguriau**

**Seiza no matataki kazoe uranau koi no yukue**

**Onaji kuni ni umareta no**

**Mirakuru romansu'**

Karei sang as loud as she could. So far, Hakudoshi and Lee looked as if they were going to explode.

"Let's go grab a beer real quick…" Hakudoshi said. "I can't take the singing anymore!"

"I'm with you…" Lee said. The two went out of the room.

"Perfect!" Karei said quietly to herself. "I can finally try it out!"

She scurried to the farthest corner of her room, trying all she could to make sure no one sensed her distress call she was going to send out.

_Just remember what daddy said. Focus on the person you want to find you… _Karei thought to herself. She pictured Akiya in her mind…

_Aunt Akiya…please help me! _Karei thought long and hard. A pink aura surrounded her. Then it took off to the sky.

* * *

"Akiya… Akiya…" 

"Hm…?"

"It's late. Maybe you should head back home for a little bit…" Kohaku said.

Akiya has been at the case non- stop for the past week. She never left the office. And she was now drooling in her sleep over a few maps of possible locations where the Samyosho were hiding.

"Maybe just for a few hours." Akiya said, getting her jacket. "I haven't seen the kids in a while… by the way... no one touches the papers on the desk!"

"I swear!" Kohaku said.

Then Akiya stopped.

"Do you sense that?" Akiya asked.

Kohaku looked confused.

_Aunt Akiya! Help me! Please... _a small voice said inside her head.

Karei?

Akiya was able to see what Karei was seeing. Two other youkai just came back into the room.

"Ryuka! The kid's channeling youki!"

"Well… Stop her before she gets far!"

Then the vision stopped. Akiya instantly remembered what one of the boxes in the room said.

"I GOT IT!" Akiya cried out joyfully.

Akil and Sano, who just happened to be passing by the room, peeked in curiously.

"I'm telling you! Sessh is a genius to teach her that trick!"

Akiya grabbed a sharpie from her pencil holder and place a giant circle around a warehouse on Tokyo bay.

"That's where Karei is!" Akiya said happily.

"Are you sure?" Kohaku asked.

"I'm positive. I can't believe the Samyosho would hide there! On one of the boxes in the youki that Karei send over was a label. A Kansei Corp. label. She's being held in one of the shipping yards for Kansei Corp. Alongside Tokyo Bay, which explains a lot about the sea smell!"

"Should we alert the police?" Akil asked. "We could use a little backup…"

"You're joking right?" Sano intervened.

"We got all the TPD (Tokyo Police Department) we need here…" he said, pointing at Kohaku.

"I… uh… wha?"

"He's right!" Akiya said, as she dragged the men downstairs for gear.

"We're doing this solo. I know that you trained a lot at your dad's dojo for this kind of situation, Kohaku, so I'm not too worried." Akiya said, as she got out her trusty access card again, slid it through the scanner and the four entered the Gadget lab.

* * *

Sesshomaru shuddered from the odd feeling. 

"Sessh… is something wrong?" Lili asked looking up from the dinner plate. Rin, Sayuri, and Ryusei did the same thing.

Sesshomaru shook his head.

"No… nothing's wrong." He replied.

But Sayuri wouldn't get rid of the worried expression. But she went back to eating dinner.

_I can't say anything about sensing Karei's youki. Sayuri would get worked up. Besides… it was really faint. _He suddenly smirked to himself.

_That's my girl… _

* * *

"What the hell do you think you were doing!?" Ryuka shouted. 

By then, the aura Karei had disappeared.

"Trying to find someone to help me!" Karei shouted back, her eyes briefly red for a second.

Ryuka suddenly slapped her. Karei cried out in surprise.

"You little brat…" Ryuka said through clenched fangs. She then started to crack her knuckles, prepared to slice the little girl into pieces with her claws. Her eyes started to glow red.

Karei looked up fearfully. This was beyond her. She crunched together, prepared for the impact.

"Ryka…" a voice called out.

Ryuka's eyes went back to her usual blue and turned around. Kentaro and Naraku stood there.

"What are you doing?" Naraku asked boredly.

Ryuka placed her hand down.

"The brat was testing my temper…" Ryuka replied.

"The girl is coming with us…" Kentaro said, walking towards Karei. "We will be heading to Kobe. Since Onigumo- san sensed the girl channeling her youki earlier. We have to go and change locations now…"

Ryuka flinched at the thought. She glared back at Lee and Hakudoshi.

"I told you two to keep an eye on her…" She muttered angrily.

"But you wouldn't have stood the singing either…" Hakudoshi said in his defense.

"Of course, you all will be paid triple for your efforts…" Naraku added. Kentaro dragged Karei along.

"Hold on, Ritoki- san…" Ryuka said, lifting a hand. Everyone in the room froze.

"I smell… cat…" Ryuka said, her hand gliding against the daggers on her waist.

Hakudoshi and Lee caught on too.

"Hm… whoever it was… they're gone now…" Hakudoshi said. "I can't smell them anymore…"

"Don't be an idiot!" Lee said. "They could have masked it just now."

"The Elite is here…" Ryuka said. "I recognize the little feline bitch's smell…"

Karei brightened up when she heard Ryuka. When the scent was still visible, Karei recognized it immediately.

Aunt Akiya!

Kentaro gripped Karei's shoulders hard, making the girl cry out.

"This is bad news Naraku…" Kentaro said. "We were supposed to give Tashio the deal tonight…"

Naraku thought about what to do in their current situation.

"Kentaro- san..." he finally said. "You and the girl start making your way towards the heli- launch… I have a bit of unfinished business with an ex of mine…"

"The rest of you…" Naraku said, pointing at the youkai mercenaries.

"Kill whoever enters the building…"

"Ha-ha… neat… We finally get to have some action…" Lee said, his hand already reaching for his snake like sword.

* * *

"Shit… I knew we should have placed the masking scent on us before we left!" Akiya mumbled on the radio. 

"Relax Kiya…" Akil replied. "We got too excited over finding Karei…"

"What do you mean 'we'?" Sano said, though his message was a little staticy.

"You know what I mean…"

"I see something going on the roof…" Kohaku said from his hiding place.

"Um Kohaku… that would be me…"

A black figure waved towards Kohaku.

"Opps… sorry Akiya…

"Ok… what are your positions? We already know where Akiya is…" Sano said. Akiya groaned.

"I'm on the west side…" Akil replied. "I'm going to disable the security system… easy entrance…"

"Kohaku?"

"East side… I see some movement going on inside…" Kohaku said, as he saw dark figures walking pass the window.

"I'm on the north…" Sano said, gripping his gun tightly. "Remember you guys… this is not the training room…"

"Akil, you and Kohaku enter on your ends after you disable the security system, I meet you guys when the fighting starts. That way… we'll have a distraction while Akiya goes in and gets Karei out of there… you got that?"

"Sano… I should have warned you… Akil and I are just going to follow those orders as guidelines… usually we improvise when we're on missions." Akiya said, placing the silencers on her guns.

"Oh whatever… you got the plan…" Sano said, clearly getting annoyed.

Akil went ahead and messed around with the wiring. He finally narrowed it down to the four he needed. Red, blue, green, yellow. With his claw, he snipped the yellow one.

"Security disabled…."

"Move in…"

Kohaku entered the building slowly and cautiously. He kept his guard up, his chained sickle in hand. He would have gotten a gun, if he wasn't already comfortable with the weapon he had now that he's been training with since he was ten.

Akil followed after Kohaku confirmed that he was in.

Akiya used her claw to cut the glass. Then she slipped in just like a cat.

"Well, well, well… we meet again…" a voice called out.

Akiya turned, to find a female dragon youkai. Behind her, was a snake youkai, with Karei in tow.

"Aunt… Aki…ya…" Karei gasped through the snake's grip.

* * *

"You know Akil…" Kohaku said into his headset. "It's too quiet…" 

"Yeah? I agree with you…" Akil replied. Suddenly the lights flashed on, blinding them for a minute.

"Lookie here Hakudoshi!" Lee said, hanging off the rafters. "We got visitors…"

"I like visitors…" Hakudoshi said from behind, as he swung his sickle at Kohaku, who barely dodged it in time. "…except when they're from the Elite!"

_Shit! They were ready for us! _Kohaku thought frantically to himself, as he kept dodging the attacks Hakudoshi was throwing at him. Akil was busy fight Lee and his Constricting Sword.

_But where's Karei!?_

_

* * *

_

_Hikaru- san: ooo… cliffy… don't you hate me for it…? _

_Any who… story should be wrapped dup pretty soon. Idk…like two or three more chapters… still thinking about it… any who… read and review people! _


	15. Rescue

Akiya aimed her gun at Ryuka.

"Now now…" Ryuka said. "You wouldn't want to go shooting around with the girl here… now would you?"

Akiya struggled to figure out what to do. If she placed her gun down, then she would be easy prey for Ryuka, but if she didn't, then Karei would get hurt.

"Ok… I'm placing my weapons down…" Akiya said, as she slowly placed the guns down.

"Rutoki… Search her…" Ryuka said. When the snake released Karei, she tried to make a run for Akiya, but was held back by Ryuka

"Hee hee hee…" the snake demon sneered, as his grimy hands frisked up and down Akiya's body. Akiya couldn't help but roll her eyes. This was exactly how she wanted to spend her night… getting all felt up by a perv…

When she felt that he gave her butt a pinched, she let him have it.

BAM!

The snake was knocked out. Akiya was quick as to place the youkai proof cuffs on.

"Ok….that's it bitch…" Ryuka said, getting her daggers out. She and Akiya started to face off, while Karei watched from the sidelines.

"Go Akiya!" Karei called out.

"Shut up you little brat…" Kentaro said from behind. He grabbed Karei harshly by the arm and the two headed up the stairs.

"Karei!" Akiya called out.

"Oh Pussy cat…. Focus on your opponent!" Ryuka said, managing to slice Akiya's arm.

Akiya hissed from pain. They can't lose Karei now.

* * *

Kohaku continued to dodge the attacks from Hakudoshi. Only on one occasion he was able to get a scratch on him. But Hakudoshi was proven to be a tougher opponent than he though. 

"You know…" Kohaku shouted towards Akil. "You'd think there would be more thugs…"

"I know…" Akil replies, jumping ten feet in the air, the strike from Lee missing its target.

"That's the neat thing about the Samyosho!" Lee said. "That three youkai are able to do things that take 10 or 20 youkai…"

"Shut up will you?"

"Huh?"

Something shot Lee from behind, giving Akil the chance to shoot Hakudoshi with the stunning serum.

"About time you showed up!" Akil shouted at Sano, who lurked out of the shadows, cuffing Lee and Hakudoshi.

"I had a little difficulty getting in…" Sano said, pointing behind him. Akil and Kohaku's eyes went big.

* * *

Akiya kept fighting Ryuka. Her gun was now a good ten feet away. Akiya had to think fast, or else Ryuka was going to kill her. 

"What's the matter?" Ryuka sneered, as she attempted to slash Akiya again. "Cat got your tongue?"

"That… was dumb…" Akiya said. She noticed her second gun was only 2 feet away.

"And you call yourself an Elite officer…" Ryuka said. "Well… it was nice seeing you again, Nakamura…"

"Yeah… too bad you're not going anywhere for the next few hundred years."

"What?"

Akiya did a flip kick, knocking Ryuka to the ground. Akiya gripped the gun in her hand.

"That… was for almost killing my baby…" Akiya said. She shot the stunning serum and Ryuka was down.

"Akiya… Akiya…" Akil's voice came on the headset.

"Yeah… I'm still alive… in case you were wondering…" Akiya said, walking over to cuff Ryuka.

"Yea…" Kohaku's voice said. "You're not going to believe whose here…"

"Not now! I have to stop Kentaro right now… we'll talk later…" Akiya snapped, grabbing her other gun, and raced up the stairs where Karei and Kentaro went.

* * *

"I said…we were going to handle it…" Sano said, his left eyebrow twitching. 

"BUT YOU CAME ANYWAY!? WHAT ABOUT YOUR WIFE!?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, while gripping his sword, Tokiji, tightly.

"Karei is my daughter…" he said coolly. "Besides… Sayuri thinks I'm just out for some air…"

Akil and Kohaku groaned. This was one weird night.

"How did you find us anyway…?" Sano asked.

"Felt around for Akiya's youki… it wasn't that hard. Karei channeled hers to Akiya."

"Of course… being Karei's father, you can sense when she's using her youki…" Sano mumbled.

"Chit chat later…" Kohaku said boldly. "Right now, Akiya need a little help…"

"Right…"

* * *

The helicopter was in full swing. Kentaro dragged Karei across the pad. 

"Let me go!" Karei shouted, trying to claw her way out of his grasp.

"Do you really think that's effective kid?" Kentaro asked, an evil smirk forming across his lips.

Karei growled as a strand of black hair came into her eyes.

Wait… black?

Karei began to panic. She was human now. She looked up into the sky. A full moon.

Kentaro paused for a moment. For a minute, he thought he had Sayuri in his grasp. A second look made him realize that the kid just turned human.

"Perfect… not so high and mighty now, huh kid?" Kentaro said, tossing Karei into the helicopter. Karei banged her head against wall and blacked out.

Kentaro took his seat next to Naraku as the craft started to take off.

* * *

"Shit!" Akiya shouted, as the helicopter started to take flight. She sped up, hoping to catch enough speed for the jump. 

At that moment, Akil, Sano, Sesshomaru, and Kohaku finally got through the roof access.

"Akiya! Are you crazy!?" Sano shouted.

Akiya didn't hear him. She jumped.

* * *

The buzzer went off inside of the craft. 

"What is it Naraku- san?" Kentaro asked, as the control stick was shaking in Naraku's grasp.

"Something's off balance…" Naraku said, trying to get things back in control. The door suddenly opened.

"Can I have a lift?" Akiya asked sarcastically, as she managed to enter the helicopter.

Kentaro got out of his seat and attempted to fight Akiya off. All she had to do was place a deep cut on Kentaro's arm and he was taken care of. Akiya then placed the gun right by Naraku's head.

"Long time no see…Akiya…" Naraku said, his grip getting tighter on the control stick.

"Land this helicopter now…" Akiya growled. "And then… you're under arrest…"

"What if I don't?" Naraku asked. "You'll kill me?"

Akiya moved towards the back to check on Karei.

She was alright, except for the bump on her head.

"I could if I wanted to. I could fly the thing just fine… but won't."

Naraku was taken aback from her response.

"Because… I'm not like you…" Akiya said, getting Naraku back at gun point.

"You're not showing it very well…" Naraku said nervously.

"So… where were we?"

* * *

(Later) 

The police came just in time, placing the cuffed youkai in high security vehicles to be taken to prison. Naraku and Kentaro were stormed by the paparazzi that assembled there.

Akiya, Sesshomaru, Kohaku, Akil and Sano stood aside, watching all this take place. Karei was still unconscious in Sesshomaru's lap, wrapped in a blanket.

"I'm happy you got your daughter back…" Sano said. "You won't be hearing from those two for a very long time…"

Suddenly, Karei's eyes slowly started to open.

"Da…Daddy?"

Sesshomaru nodded.

Karei suddenly gripped her arms around Sesshomaru's neck, cling on for dear life.

"Daddy!" Karei cried.

"I was so scared! I thought no one was going to save me! I'm sorry if I made mommy cry!"

Sesshomaru could only chuckle at every word that came from Karei.

"You act just like your mother…" he said.

Akiya smiled at the scene.

"Can we go home now?" Karei asked.

Sesshomaru looked at the authorities, meaning Sano, Kohaku, and Akil.

"You guys don't have any business to be here any longer…" Kohaku said. "Besides, I have to get back to the station and write this up in the report.

"And I'm going home for a long nap…" Akiya said. The sun was starting to rise behind her. Karei's pink aura appeared again, only to change her back into a hanyo.

"Come on kid…" Sesshomaru said, carrying Karei to the car. "Let's go before your mother kills me for being out all night."

"At least you didn't miss curfew like Rin did a few times..." Karei replied.

"Rin did what!?"

* * *

Sayuri woke up to the sun gleaming into the bedroom. She looked to her right. Sesshomaru still wasn't home. 

_He better not be doing anything stupid… _Sayuri thought to herself, as she buried her head into the pillow. The door slowly creaked open.

"Whatever you're thinking about Lili… don't do it. I can be mean like Sesshomaru when I want to be…" Sayuri grumbled, pulling the blanket over her head.

"Mommy!"

Sayuri sat up at the sound. Karei ran from the door and jumped on Sayuri.

Sayuri was beyond shock.

"Mommy! I missed you!" Karei said, clinging onto her mother. Then she took a good look at Sayuri.

"When did you cut your hair?" Karei asked.

Sayuri didn't respond. She just pulled her daughter closer to her, afraid that it was just a dream.

"Don't cry mommy! I'm back now…" Karei said, feeling the wetness on her shoulder.

"Honey… I'm crying… because I'm so happy…" Sayuri said, holding on to Karei tighter.

"You can cry because you're happy?" Karei asked.

Sayuri nodded.

"I did when I married your dad…"

Karei then started to cry.

"I won't disappear again mommy! I don't like it when you're sad…"

Sesshomaru watched the entire scene from the doorway. He couldn't help but smile. It was nice to have his family back…

"Uh… mom…"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! SPIDER!!!!" Both girls cried out.

Sesshomaru groaned.

Yeah… real nice…

_

* * *

_

_Hikaru-San: So... this is the chapter before last... i might throw in the satome clan before i get to work on... you guessed it... THE NEXT SEQUEL!!!!!!_

_This time around… it's going to be more on Karei and Akane in high school. Now that should be fun! Mwhahahahahahaha! _

_Any who… read and review por favor!_


	16. C'est La Vie!

_Hikaru-San: Ok you guys… this is the last chapter to C'est La Vie. After I post this, I'll post the first chapter to Step Up!, the 'triquel' (glares at shikonprincess15) to the finding love series. _

_Come on, you know you want to know what Karei and Akane are like as teenagers! _

_And to answer the constantly asked question, 'C'est La Vie' is French for 'that's life'. _

_So ya… I will stop babbling and let you guys get to reading…_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the OCs, except for Akiya, Akil, etc._

* * *

(One year later) 

"Karei! Come on! They're cutting the cake!" Akane called out towards the beach.

"They can't do that yet!" Karei shouted, running back to her cousin with seashells in tow. "The birthday girl's not there!"

"Well hurry!" Akane said. The two little girls ran off towards the house.

* * *

"Where is she?" Sayuri asked, peeking out the window. 

"Probably gathering sea shells. She has been fascinated by them ever since she got here…" Nobu said, balancing his granddaughters, Haruka and Michiru, in his lap.

"Ha! Still got it!" Nobu said excitedly.

"Just like daddy use to do!" Chiyo said, picking up one of her daughters.

Kaulani rolled her eyes at the adult going goo goo gaga over the latest set of twins in the Satome family.

By now, Kaulani had red streaks in her black hair, due to her fire youkai heritage. Rin couldn't help but laugh at Kaulani's antics.

"Hello! We're graduating this year and they're paying all their attention on the babies!" Kaulani huffed.

Rin wasn't listening, as she was busy holding Tohaku, Akane's new little brother. Unlike his sister, Tohaku looked exactly like Inuyasha on his human nights.

"NOT YOU TOO!" Kaulani whined.

"Oh sweetie… you know I'm excited for you!" Sayo said, hugging her daughter.

"Besides, I think this a really fitting weekend." Kai said, taking a seat with the rest of the girls, plus Tohaku.

"Ryusei and Lili are going to be married on Sunday, Karei turns seven today, and Nobu and I get to faun over our newest grandbabies!"

"Nana Kai! I had faith in you!" Kaulani whined, pretending to go into a crying fit.

"Doll, you don't graduate until June of next year…" Kai said.

Kaulani smirked.

"Yeah… but dad says it's never too early to starts thinking about the future."

Sayo sighed.

"He meant while you were going through college applications…"

"I'm back!!!" Akane and Karei shouted into the house, sea shells in tow.

Sayuri, Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Kagome sweat dropped.

"Don't you girls have enough shells?" Kagome asked.

Akane and Karei looked at each other.

"No…" the replied.

"Whatever…" Sesshomaru said, tossing Karei over his shoulder with one swoop.

"Dad! No fair!" Karei called out. Sayuri picked up the shells that fell out of Karei's arms when her father picked her up.

* * *

Akiya, who was just bringing the cake out to the patio, rolled her eyes at Sesshomaru's antics. 

"Happy birthday Karei!" Michiko said happily. She looked around and tried to steal some frosting, only to getting her hand gently slapped away by her mother.

"That's just rude, Chiko…" Akiya said, with a smirk.

"Aw… mom…"

Karei finally got out of her father's grasp and raced towards the seat of honor.

* * *

After the rugged chorus of Happy Birthday, and Karei blew out the candles, everyone dug in. 

"Mommy, am I suppose to fell any different?" Karei asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I still feel six…"

"That's because you just turn seven… really…really… early in the morning…" Sayuri replied, grumbling the last part.

Chiyo couldn't help but laugh.

"At least the birth of my girls didn't require a late night watch!"

"Only for me to fly out of a meeting with the Emperor's secretary, Sessh, a business deal, Kagome on a catering case, Dad to catch I don't know how many flights, Aaron to almost kill himself on the freeway on his way to the hospital, Miroku in court, Sango…"

Chiyo placed a hand over Sayuri's mouth.

"I didn't tell them to make me go into labor at three in the afternoon…" Chiyo hissed.

Akiya couldn't stop laughing.

"Well… at least you didn't have your ENTIRE family at the hospital… god! That was crazy!" Akiya said, recalling the night she gave birth to Michiko.

"But we have a lot of friends so it was almost as bad…" Chiyo piped up.

"Ugh… Kiya, your Aunt Chole still gives me the chills…" Soichiro said, trying to stop the goose bumps.

"She just likes what she sees. That's why her branch of the family's the biggest!" Akiya said, rubbing her mate's, now husbands, shoulders.

"Wow! A Karaoke machine!" Karei shouted from the far corner.

"Rei! You were supposed to wait!" Lili and Rin cried out.

Karei smirked in a very Sayuri- ish way.

"But I wanna do a dinner and a show…" Karei said.

"Your daughter does know what that means… right…?" Sesshomaru asked Sayuri.

"Just play along…" Sayuri said turning red.

* * *

Karei plugged the mic in. 

"Good Evening Migna- san!" Karei said into the mic like a pro.

"I wanna thank mommy and daddy for their present. I loves it lot!" Karei continued in rapid Japanese.

The English speaking people, Kai, David, and Aaron, tilted their head in confusion, while the others just snickered.

"Ok! Music Start!"

Akane pressed the power button and Karei started to sing…

_

* * *

_

_watashi no sore ha hajimatta kimi o motomeru omoi_

_yotei chouwa no chou__setsu ya eiga ga tsumaranai you ni_

_JINSEE mo sukoshi ZURE tara omoshiroi no kamoshirenai_

_atsui kimochi ha C'est la vie_

_watashi ga watashi de iru kagiri_

_C'est la vie anata o aishi tsudzuketai_

_me no mae ni aru kono shunkan ga ikiru basho_

_kakenukete_

_hito ha naze ichido dake shika ikiru CHANSU ga nai no_

_toki ha naze ichibyou sae mo tachi tomaranai no darou_

_omoi ga kenai doko kagane_

_kutsuzure o okosu mitai ni_

_tokidoki ha mune no doko ka ga setsunakunattari suru kedo_

_kitto mitsukaru C'est la vie_

_watashi ga watashi de aru riyuu_

_C'est la vie anata ga anata de aru riyuu_

_nani mo mienai dakedo nani ka ga mitai kara_

_oikakete_

* * *

"I think she get's it from you…" Sayuri muttered to Sesshomaru. 

"I beg to differ…"

"At least it was better than your guys' attempt at Karaoke.

"DON'T PUSH IT RUYSEI!!!!"

By now, Akane and Michiko plugged in the extra mics and joined in with Karei.

_

* * *

____yotei chouwa no chousetsu ya eiga ga tsumaranai you ni _

_JINSEE mo sukoshi ZURE tara omoshiroi no kamoshirenai_

_atsui kimochi ha_

_C'est la vie watashi ga watashi de iru kagiri_

_C'est la vie anata o aishi tsudzuketai_

_C'est la vie watashi ga watashi de aru riyuu_

_C'est la vie anata ga anata de aru riyuu_

_me no mae ni aru kono shunkan ga ikiru basho_

_kakenukete_

_kakenukete_

To Be Continued…

_

* * *

_

Thanks for sticking around! I'll get to work on the Triquel ASAP!

_Bye bye! And R&R por favor! _


End file.
